Buried relic seawall mitigates Hurricane Sandy's impacts

Field observations to quantify damage, overwash, sediment deposition, and breaching in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy revealed clear differences in patterns of the impact between two neighboring boroughs along the New Jersey shore: Bay Head and Mantoloking. Field data and observations gathered immediately after the storm indicate that a relic seawall in Bay Head appeared to lessen the wave-driven effects of Hurricane Sandy as compared to its southern neighbor Mantoloking. Complimentary detailed numerical simulations demonstrate that this relic seawall reduced the wave-induced forces on ocean front structures, indicated by wave-averaged momentum flux, by a factor of two. The difference in impact of Hurricane Sandy between Bay Head and Mantoloking underscores the urgent need for sustainable multi-level protection against natural hazards, in order to create resilient coastal communities.