Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions:: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off

Pim W.J.M. Willemsen; Victoria G. Mason; Vera M. van Bergeijk; Mark Klein Breteler; Jos R.M. Muller; Dimitrios Dementzoglou; Akis Vouziouris; Thomas van Veelen; Kathelijne M. Wijnberg; A.J.F. Hoitink; Paul Buring; Maike Paul; Vincent van Zelst; Bas Hofland; Alessandro Antonini; Tjeerd J. Bouma; Bas W. Borsje

Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off

Pim W.J.M. Willemsen
, Victoria G. Mason
, Vera M. van Bergeijk
, Mark Klein Breteler
, Jos R.M. Muller
, Dimitrios Dementzoglou
, Akis Vouziouris
, Thomas van Veelen
, Kathelijne M. Wijnberg
, A.J.F. Hoitink
, Paul Buring
, Maike Paul
, Vincent van Zelst
, Bas Hofland
, Alessandro Antonini
, Tjeerd J. Bouma
, Bas W. Borsje

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

14 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Salt marshes at the border of land and sea are wellknown for their ability to attenuate wind waves. Field observations and large-scale lab experiments prove a significant attenuation of wave height and energy due to the elevated bed and vegetation roughness of the salt marsh. However, these results only include waves up to approximately 1.0 m. The efficacy of marsh vegetation to wave attenuation during extreme wave events, with waves exceeding 1.0 m, is largely uncertain as vegetation is progressively damaged. This study quantifies the trade-off between wave attenuation and progressive vegetation damage under extreme waves from 0.7 m up to 2.0 m and water depths from 1.5 m up to 4.0 m. Wave heights and water levels are comparable to design conditions for Dutch dikes.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics
Subtitle of host publication	Barcelona, 1-5 September: Abstract Book
Editors	Francesca Ribas, Daniel Calvete
Place of Publication	Barcelona
Publisher	Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Pages	222
Number of pages	1
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2025
Event	14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, RCEM 2025 - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya , Barcelona, Spain Duration: 1 Sept 2025 → 5 Sept 2025 Conference number: 14

Conference

Conference	14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, RCEM 2025
Abbreviated title	RCEM 2025
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Barcelona
Period	1/09/25 → 5/09/25

Keywords

Salt marsh
Extreme storms
Wave attenuation
Vegetation breakage
Large-scale flume experiment

Access to Document

AbstractFinal published version, 4.27 MB

Cite this

Willemsen, P. W. J. M., Mason, V. G., van Bergeijk, V. M., Klein Breteler, M., Muller, J. R. M., Dementzoglou, D., Vouziouris, A., van Veelen, T., Wijnberg, K. M., Hoitink, A. J. F., Buring, P., Paul, M., van Zelst, V., Hofland, B., Antonini, A., Bouma, T. J., & Borsje, B. W. (2025). Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off. In F. Ribas, & D. Calvete (Eds.), RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: Barcelona, 1-5 September: Abstract Book (pp. 222). Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.

Willemsen, Pim W.J.M. ; Mason, Victoria G. ; van Bergeijk, Vera M. et al. / Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off. RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: Barcelona, 1-5 September: Abstract Book. editor / Francesca Ribas ; Daniel Calvete. Barcelona : Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2025. pp. 222

@inproceedings{2070e6e688f74e45949705f2a6e4da82,

title = "Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions:: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off",

abstract = "Salt marshes at the border of land and sea are wellknown for their ability to attenuate wind waves. Field observations and large-scale lab experiments prove a significant attenuation of wave height and energy due to the elevated bed and vegetation roughness of the salt marsh. However, these results only include waves up to approximately 1.0 m. The efficacy of marsh vegetation to wave attenuation during extreme wave events, with waves exceeding 1.0 m, is largely uncertain as vegetation is progressively damaged. This study quantifies the trade-off between wave attenuation and progressive vegetation damage under extreme waves from 0.7 m up to 2.0 m and water depths from 1.5 m up to 4.0 m. Wave heights and water levels are comparable to design conditions for Dutch dikes.",

keywords = "Salt marsh, Extreme storms, Wave attenuation, Vegetation breakage, Large-scale flume experiment",

author = "Willemsen, \{Pim W.J.M.\} and Mason, \{Victoria G.\} and \{van Bergeijk\}, \{Vera M.\} and \{Klein Breteler\}, Mark and Muller, \{Jos R.M.\} and Dimitrios Dementzoglou and Akis Vouziouris and \{van Veelen\}, Thomas and Wijnberg, \{Kathelijne M.\} and A.J.F. Hoitink and Paul Buring and Maike Paul and \{van Zelst\}, Vincent and Bas Hofland and Alessandro Antonini and Bouma, \{Tjeerd J.\} and Borsje, \{Bas W.\}",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "1",

language = "English",

pages = "222",

editor = "Francesca Ribas and Daniel Calvete",

booktitle = "RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics",

publisher = "Universitat Polit{\`e}cnica de Catalunya",

address = "Spain",

note = "14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, RCEM 2025, RCEM 2025 ; Conference date: 01-09-2025 Through 05-09-2025",

}

Willemsen, PWJM, Mason, VG, van Bergeijk, VM, Klein Breteler, M, Muller, JRM, Dementzoglou, D, Vouziouris, A, van Veelen, T , Wijnberg, KM, Hoitink, AJF, Buring, P, Paul, M, van Zelst, V, Hofland, B, Antonini, A, Bouma, TJ & Borsje, BW 2025, Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off. in F Ribas & D Calvete (eds), RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: Barcelona, 1-5 September: Abstract Book. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, pp. 222, 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, RCEM 2025, Barcelona, Spain, 1/09/25.

Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off. / Willemsen, Pim W.J.M.; Mason, Victoria G.; van Bergeijk, Vera M. et al.
RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: Barcelona, 1-5 September: Abstract Book. ed. / Francesca Ribas; Daniel Calvete. Barcelona: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2025. p. 222.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions:

T2 - 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, RCEM 2025

AU - Willemsen, Pim W.J.M.

AU - Mason, Victoria G.

AU - van Bergeijk, Vera M.

AU - Klein Breteler, Mark

AU - Muller, Jos R.M.

AU - Dementzoglou, Dimitrios

AU - Vouziouris, Akis

AU - van Veelen, Thomas

AU - Wijnberg, Kathelijne M.

AU - Hoitink, A.J.F.

AU - Buring, Paul

AU - Paul, Maike

AU - van Zelst, Vincent

AU - Hofland, Bas

AU - Antonini, Alessandro

AU - Bouma, Tjeerd J.

AU - Borsje, Bas W.

N1 - Conference code: 14

PY - 2025/9/1

Y1 - 2025/9/1

N2 - Salt marshes at the border of land and sea are wellknown for their ability to attenuate wind waves. Field observations and large-scale lab experiments prove a significant attenuation of wave height and energy due to the elevated bed and vegetation roughness of the salt marsh. However, these results only include waves up to approximately 1.0 m. The efficacy of marsh vegetation to wave attenuation during extreme wave events, with waves exceeding 1.0 m, is largely uncertain as vegetation is progressively damaged. This study quantifies the trade-off between wave attenuation and progressive vegetation damage under extreme waves from 0.7 m up to 2.0 m and water depths from 1.5 m up to 4.0 m. Wave heights and water levels are comparable to design conditions for Dutch dikes.

AB - Salt marshes at the border of land and sea are wellknown for their ability to attenuate wind waves. Field observations and large-scale lab experiments prove a significant attenuation of wave height and energy due to the elevated bed and vegetation roughness of the salt marsh. However, these results only include waves up to approximately 1.0 m. The efficacy of marsh vegetation to wave attenuation during extreme wave events, with waves exceeding 1.0 m, is largely uncertain as vegetation is progressively damaged. This study quantifies the trade-off between wave attenuation and progressive vegetation damage under extreme waves from 0.7 m up to 2.0 m and water depths from 1.5 m up to 4.0 m. Wave heights and water levels are comparable to design conditions for Dutch dikes.

KW - Salt marsh

KW - Extreme storms

KW - Wave attenuation

KW - Vegetation breakage

KW - Large-scale flume experiment

M3 - Conference contribution

SP - 222

BT - RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics

A2 - Ribas, Francesca

A2 - Calvete, Daniel

PB - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

CY - Barcelona

Y2 - 1 September 2025 through 5 September 2025

ER -

Willemsen PWJM, Mason VG, van Bergeijk VM, Klein Breteler M, Muller JRM, Dementzoglou D et al. Wave attenuation versus progressive damage during extreme storm conditions: a salt marsh vegetation trade-off. In Ribas F, Calvete D, editors, RCEM 2025: 14th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: Barcelona, 1-5 September: Abstract Book. Barcelona: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. 2025. p. 222