• Biography

Shoreline Dynamics of Kerala coast

Coastal areas comprise about 70 % of the major cities of the world; therefore, the understanding of how coastal aquatic environments are evolving due to sediment transport is very important. This research is focused on both modelling and observation of sediment transport, erosion and siltation in estuarine environments, coastal zones, ports, and harbor areas. These coastal environments are influenced by strong sediment resuspension/deposition and transport that are driven by different mechanisms such as waves, tides, winds, and currents.

Cohesive sediments, such as clay and small particle mud, are often transported in the water column, as these sediments are easily suspended by water currents. Alternatively, the non-cohesive sediments, such as sand are usually transported along the bottom by the processes of saltation, rolling and sliding. For addressing the contrasting hydrodynamics and sediment transport regime of the central Kerala coasts are especially important and is an interesting problem for research and was taken up for my Ph.D. thesis work. For this investigation, the beaches from Ponnani to Allappuzha along the central Kerala coast were selected. Based on the extensive data generated on hydrodynamics and sediment transport processes the resultant shoreline changes are being addressed. Most of the numerical models include these processes based on empirical experiments and the numerical modelling studies were also attempted using Mike21, Delft3D and XBeach models. A detailed understanding of sediment transport can ultimately lead in to a better comprehension of marine ecosystem and thereby leads to generate an improved integrated coastal zone management plan. My research problem encompasses various coastal processes and their influence on nearshore zone. I use field measurements, remote sensing and numerical modelling as tools of my research.