BUOYANT DRIFTWOOD DYNAMICS IN THE SURF ZONE

Wood, a naturally-occurring material in many coastal regions, is seeing growing utilization in nature-based shore protection schemes, to capitalize on the ecosystem services it purportedly provides. In contrast, wood and logs are often removed from coastal marshes as part of restoration efforts, particularly where substantial quantities of driftwood are introduced by human activities, such as forestry and construction. Accumulations of driftwood can pose hazards to coastal communities, infrastructure and ecosystems; particularly if mobilized by storms. An improved understanding of driftwood transport and dispersion on open coasts exposed to waves is needed to guide sustainable use and risk management (Murphy et al., 2021). This novel numerical modeling study builds on the results of an experimental program conducted by the authors at the Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Laboratory of the National Research Council of Canada.