Work

Fractional-Order Modeling of Sediment Transport and Coastal Erosion Mitigation in Shorelines Under Extreme Climate Conditions: A Case Study in Iraq

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Coastal erosion and sediment transport dynamics in Iraq’s shoreline are increasingly affected by extreme climate conditions, including rising sea levels and intensified storms. This study introduces a novel fractional-order sediment transport model, incorporating a modified gamma function-based differential operator to accurately describe erosion rates and stabilization effects. The proposed model evaluates two key stabilization approaches: artificial stabilization (breakwaters and artificial reefs) and bio-engineering solutions (coral reefs, sea-grass, and salt marshes). Numerical simulations reveal that the proposed structures provide moderate sediment retention but degrade over time, leading to diminishing effectiveness. In contrast, bio-engineering solutions demonstrate higher long-term resilience, as natural ecosystems self-repair and adapt to changing environmental conditions. Under extreme climate scenarios, enhanced bio-engineering retains 55% more sediment than no intervention, compared to 35% retention with artificial stabilization.The findings highlight the potential of hybrid coastal protection strategies combining artificial and bio-based stabilization. Future work includes optimizing intervention designs, incorporating localized field data from Iraq’s coastal zones, and assessing cost-effectiveness for large-scale implementation.

Source: Computation

DOI: 10.3390/computation13050104

Authors: Ibtisam Aldawish, Rabha W. Ibrahim

Institutions: Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Al-Ayen Iraqi University

Language: English

Topic: Coastal and Marine Dynamics

Subfield: Earth-Surface Processes

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172