Coastal hazards & resilience
Around 40% of the world’s population lives near the coast, where rising sea levels and more extreme storms are increasing flood and erosion risk. We help clients understand, manage and adapt to these hazards through integrated coastal engineering, modelling and decision support. Our work strengthens resilience, protects communities and infrastructure, and supports sustainable coastal management in the face of climate uncertainty.
Climate and sector pressures shaping coastal risk
Coastal environments are dynamic, complex and increasingly stressed by climate change. Sea level rise, higher storm surges, cyclones and storm clusters are accelerating flooding and erosion. Existing defences may face growing performance and maintenance challenges, while future conditions may exceed historic design assumptions. At the same time, clients must respond to policy, environmental and social expectations for sustainable, adaptable solutions that work with natural processes.
Challenges facing coastal owners and decision‑makers
Coastal authorities, developers and infrastructure owners need to manage risk across multiple time horizons. They need to balance immediate safety with long‑term adaptability, often under significant uncertainty. Key challenges include understanding coastal processes, managing ageing assets, assessing environmental impacts, selecting appropriate hard, soft and eco-engineering options, and justifying investment through robust, transparent evidence.
Applying science‑led coastal engineering and decision support
We bring together decades of international experience, world‑class physical modelling facilities, advanced numerical modelling and extensive coastal data and research. Our teams investigate waves and water levels using joint probability and extreme value analysis, assess storm surge, sediment transport and coastal morphology, and evaluate mitigation measures ranging from conventional defences to beach nourishment, sand engines, managed realignment and eco‑engineering approaches. Transparent decision‑support frameworks help clients compare options, quantify uncertainty and identify adaptive pathways, supporting strategic assessments, masterplanning, scheme appraisal and detailed design.
Outcomes that build resilience and confidence
Our integrated approach delivers safer coastlines, more resilient infrastructure and solutions that perform under future extremes. Clients gain clarity, confidence and flexibility to adapt over time - protecting people, supporting nature and enabling sustainable coastal development.
Expertise in coastal hazards & resilience
Design coastal defences and structures at concept, preliminary and detailed stages to ensure safety, constructability and resilience under extreme loading.
Predict and forecast waves, storm surge and water levels, including cyclonic events, to support preparedness, emergency planning and resilient design.
Deliver state‑of‑the‑art joint probability and extreme value analysis to support response‑based design under extreme coastal conditions.
Assess flooding and erosion risk for present and future climates to support strategic planning and investment decisions.
Evaluate how climate change affects coastal environments and infrastructure performance over time.
Apply advanced spatio‑temporal statistical models to quantify correlated coastal hazard risk across asset portfolios and clustered storm events.
Model hydrodynamics and sediment processes, including physical testing of structures under extreme conditions.
Use AI‑based surrogate models to replicate complex simulations, enabling rapid probabilistic analysis and large‑scale scenario testing.
Design and evaluate nourishment and sand engine schemes that enhance protection while allowing natural coastal adjustment.
Assess and mitigate scour and sedimentation risks around coastal structures and navigation assets.
Eco‑engineering solutions that reduce coastal risk while enhancing ecosystems and asset performance.
Tools and frameworks to evaluate options, manage uncertainty and develop adaptive coastal resilience strategies.
Shoreline forecasting, beach management plans and monitoring strategies to support performance and maintenance planning.
Get in touch
Simon Everitt
