Coastal Engineering

 At WSP, we provide design services combined with environmental analysis and assessment for a variety of port and coastal projects. We are involved with the design and rehabilitation of beaches and coastal structures, such as wharves, jetties, piers, breakwaters, groins, shoreline armoring, and access channels. Our projects are designed to work in harmony with their surroundings and to minimize the potential impact on environmental resources. 

Our team has globally recognized expertise in coastal processes and engineering, ranging from the modelling and analysis of coastal processes and the effect of human intervention on these processes, to the detailed design of coastal structures and beach restoration projects. We use state-of- the-art scientific instrumentation to measure bathymetry, currents, waves, water-levels, and sediment transport. These measurements are employed in the validation of specialized software used to numerically model processes such as waves, currents, and sediment transport, as well as the evolution of beach and seabed morphology. Accurate characterization of marine environmental conditions and processes with such tools is key to the successful design of coastal infrastructure.

Using collected and simulated weather, current, and wave information, we carry out assessments of downtime to offshore, coastal, and inshore installations and facilities, including docks and wind turbines, in order to maximize the available working time at a facility, improve productivity and reduce risk.

Breakwaters and Wave Agitation

At WSP, we have the expertise to design sturdy and durable breakwaters and to optimize their configuration to minimize wave agitation in harbours. We use advanced numerical tools to develop applications that help us simulate the particular features of each site and structure. We also study local weather storms in detail in order to design breakwaters and berth areas according to environmental conditions. Our concepts are adapted to include regionally available materials to minimize construction costs. We also have the required expertise for on-site monitoring and the inspection of aging structures.

We are dedicated to creating safe and enjoyable connections between land and water. We design seawalls, littoral paths, and urban beaches to provide the public with waterfront access. We work with architects and urban planners to develop and revitalize cities by integrating new developments that respect the marine environment. We mitigate erosion and submersion for the long-term, notably by developing resilient concepts that can be adapted to projected climate changes. We can provide you with the services and specialists required to ensure the success of your project.

Flood and Shore Protection

Our coastal engineers and geomorphologists work together to assess coastal erosion and submersion risks. Using available data, land and marine surveys, state-of- the-art modelling tools, aerial pictures, historical site information, environmental habitats, and social use characterization, we are able to harness a thorough understanding of the coastal processes at play and the associated coastal risks. Our shore protection work includes rock revetment, beach and dune nourishment, detached breakwaters, groins, cliff stabilization, and bulkheads, as well as adaptation and retreat strategy development.

We employ the “Living Shoreline” approach when developing our projects. Consequently, we promote open channels of communication with local environmental and social specialists when developing our concepts, in order to maximize community support and ecosystem integration.

We believe that a crucial component in the successful design and operation of port and coastal environments is the characterization of the marine environment’s effect on structures and operations. We produce simulations of coastal environments in order to understand the coastal processes specific to a project, or to test the effect of any change in the physical environment on its natural features or on any built assets.

Our modelling capabilities allow us to generate offshore wave climates that simulate the real environment to propagate and transform them to the nearshore study site. Once near the site, we can study wave penetration and agitation, wave loading on structures, and all other hydrodynamic parameters involved in the design of robust maritime structures. We can also identify the rates of overtopping on structures of all types due to waves, inform the design of wave defence structures such as breakwaters, and allow for the assessment of overland flooding from coastal sources. This detailed understanding allows us to advise clients in relation to beach morphology, dredging assessments, impacts of new development, climate change mitigation, management, and planning.

We also develop bespoke numerical modelling tools to compile data and produce graphs, tables and maps that help the client to make an informed decision:

• Bathymetry

• Topography

• Hydrology

• MetOcean

• Sediment Dynamics and Current Measurements