Numerical study of typhoon-induced storm surge in the Yangtze Estuary of China using a coupled 3D model

The Yangtze Estuary is under frequent threats from typhoon-induced storm surge, which has paid attentions by coastal and environmental researchers. A storm surge-wave coupled three-dimensional model based on MIKE 3 FM and MIKE 21 SW FM is applied to investigate the hydrodynamic response in the Yangtze Estuary to typhoon. This model has been used to reproduce the storm surge generated by Typhoon Winnie (No. 9711) and the water surface elevations have been compared with the available field observations. The study shows that the coupled model with high resolution simulates the typical typhoon impacts well, and can be used to predict the processes of typhoon-induced storm surge in the Yangtze Estuary. The storm surge induced water level changes and wave conditions will be provided and discussed for evaluating the effects of the storm surge on several major sea dike projects in the Yangtze Estuary and the north bank of Hangzhou Bay. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.