Climate research indicates that there will be more intense and frequent storms, and the sea level will continue to rise in the next century. There are more than 1000 bridges in 20 coastal counties in North Carolina. These bridges are critical components of North Carolina’s infrastructure system that supports the transportation of goods and people. However, many bridges are subject to coastal storms, damaging waves, and rising sea levels due to their proximity to coastal waters and relatively low ground elevations. This project aims to assess the status quo of North Carolina bridge vulnerability to coastal storms and a projected sea level rise in the next 50 to 100 years and identify possible solutions to enhance bridge resilience to coastal hazards.
The project consists of three major steps: assessing vulnerability, defining resilience criteria, and identifying improvement options. We will start by determining bridge vulnerability to coastal storms and sea level rise. This project will utilize simulated design water levels and wave parameters from the USACE South Atlantic Coastal Study (SACS) to calculate wave loads. SACS was a four-year $18.4 million study that aimed to identify risks and vulnerabilities of coastal areas to increased hurricane and storm damage due to sea level rise. The correct evaluation of bridge vulnerability requires the determination of wave loads on structures. To this end, we will use the USDOT FHWA HEC-25 3rd edition “Highways in the Coastal Environment.” Once the bridge vulnerability is assessed, we will define bridge resilience criteria to coastal storms and sea level rise based on engineering practice in North Carolina and other coastal states in the USA. Furthermore, we will examine each vulnerable bridge and provide possible solutions or recommendations for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and its stakeholder for project implementation.
This project is expected to deliver several research products. (1) A new design guide on bridge vulnerability to coastal storms and a sea level rise corresponding to USACE high scenario projection for 2070 and USACE intermediate scenario projection for 2120. (2) A bridge resilience feasibility study defining North Carolina bridge resilience criteria and providing site-specific recommendations for possible improvement options. (3) A 2-day technology transfer training workshop on coastal bridge vulnerability analysis facilitating NCDOT to implement project products.
The project will have both short-term and long-term benefits for NCDOT. In the short term, the new bridge vulnerability guide will provide an up-to-date assessment of bridge vulnerability to coastal storms in North Carolina. The information will assist NCDOT in planning for bridge upgrading and maintenance. In addition, the bridge resilience feasibility using a projected sea level rise for the next 50 to 100 years will help NCDOT and its stakeholders make an informed decision on infrastructure planning and development in order to adopt climate change and sea level rise in the long run.
