Coastal Engineering Research Council: Coastal Engineering

Coastal Engineering

The primary goal of research in coastal engineering is as precise as possible a forecast of developments and events as well as the goal-oriented controlled and economic reaction to actually occurring developments and events in order to safeguard the living conditions of people in coastal regions on a long-term and environmentally friendly basis.

It is a basic concern of the research activities to enable the sectoral administrations merged in the Coastal Engineering Research Council (KFKI) to carry out their tasks efficiently, economically and environmentally friendly.

Aim of the current research project is the closer networking of individual research projects, the further development of methods and the adaptation of the research activities to the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Moreover, the concept aims at improved information and communication processes.

Priority topics of funding in the coastal region of the North and Baltic Seas as well as in the estuaries and river mouths are:

• the development and further development, respectively, of measuring and locating methods, data evaluation methods and physical and mathematical modelling.
• the development of know-how on natural processes mainly of physical character and interactions of geomorphology and sediments, water level and storm surges as well as forced waves and their effects
• the development of procedures for the dimensioning and functional optimization of buildings
• the creation of bases for a networked cooperation and its implementation, information and communication.

Funding

Several sectoral administrations of government and states entrusted with coastal protection measures are funded as well as universities and private enterprises.