UNDERSTANDING THE WAVE ATTENUATION CAPACITY OF A VEGETATED FLOATING CANOPY

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are being explored as a sustainable, adaptable option for coastal protection in urban areas to combat rising sea levels and intensifying extreme storms without relying on traditional grey infrastructure (e.g., groins and seawalls; [Temmerman et al., 2013; Zhu et al., 2020; Hopkins et al., 2022; Landmann et al., 2022]). However, NBS require more rigorous field and laboratory datasets to both quantify their efficacy as protection against coastal flooding and to assist in identifying important design parameters [Zhu et al., 2020; Hopkins et al., 2022; Landmann et al., 2022]. Artificial floating islands (AFI) are variations of floating breakwaters that provide deployment flexibility for developed urban coastlines and have additional potential environmental benefits including the removal of pollutants and nitrogen [Chang et al., 2012; Barco and Borin, 2020]. This study evaluates the performance of one engineered AFI, named the Emerald Tutu, which utilizes a network of interconnected and moored floating vegetated mats to attenuate wave energy. Using a dataset collected at the Oregon State University O.H. Hinsdale Large Wave Flume (OHLWF), the two primary objectives of this study are to: 1.) determine the wave attenuation capacity of a single AFI prototype, and 2.) determine the pathways for wave energy dissipation around a single AFI prototype.