Published works

The occurrence of extreme water level events along low-lying, highly populated and/or developed coastlines can lead to devastating impacts on coastal infrastructure. Therefore it is very important that the probabilities of extreme water levels are accurately evaluated to inform flood and coastal management and for future planning. The aim of this study is to provide estimates of present day extreme total water level exceedanceexceedance probabilities (including the action of surface gravity waves) around the whole coastline of Australia, arising from combinations of mean sea level, astronomical tide and storm surges generated by both extra-tropical and tropical storms.

After the initial delays in personnel recruitment the project has made quite good progress with the progress made in all different components of the project.  When the project proposal was written we did not expect that we will be able to run a model which incorporated surface gravity waves.  We now have developed and tested a coupled wave and storm surge model which yield very good results.  Additional work needs to be done but we are very excited to have this tool which will be first time a such a coupled model has been used in Australia.  We have successful simulated continental shelf waves and TC Alby with the hydrodynamic models with which are in agreement with the measurements.  This gives us confidence to extend the model to other parts of Australia.  Perhaps the most impact has been made in the area of meteotsunamis.  As the only research group undertaking such research in Australia (and only a few globally) the ship accident in Fremantle highlighted the importance of meteotsunamis as a natural coastal hazard.  This resulted in a lot of interest locally as well as in the national press and also leading to publications.