Test and use of new Boussinesq wave model to analyse wave run-up and overtopping

In response to the growing challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels, the design and assessment of coastal protection structures—such as dikes and dunes—require reliable predictions of wave run-up and overtopping. These processes are critical for evaluating flood risk and ensuring the resilience of coastal defenses. While high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models based on the Navier-Stokes equations can provide detailed insights, their computational cost often limits their practical use in large-scale or early-stage design applications. This thesis investigates a newly extended version of the MIKE 21/3 Wave Model FM, which now supports simulations on unstructured meshes and includes wetting and drying capabilities. These enhancements make the model particularly suitable for handling complex coastal geometries and dynamic boundary conditions typical of wave overtopping events. The project aims to test and validate the performance of this implementation in predicting wave run-up and overtopping over dikes and dunes. Validation is carried out using experimental data from benchmark sources such as the CLASH database and the EuroTop II guidelines, ensuring compatibility with established engineering standards. The findings contribute to assessing the potential of MIKE 21W (depth-integrated Boussinesq type equation) and MIKE3W (RANS solver) as practical and robust tools for coastal engineering applications, especially in the context of flood risk assessment and climate adaptation strategies.