IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i9p4798-d542894.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using Fine-Grained Sediment and Wave Attenuation as a New Measure for Evaluating the Efficacy of Offshore Breakwaters in Stabilizing an Eroded Muddy Coast: Insights from Ca Mau, the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Author

Listed:
  • Thai Thanh Luom

    (Institute of Science, Technology and Training, Kien Giang University, Rach Gia 91076, Vietnam)

  • Nguyen Tan Phong

    (Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam)

  • Nguyen Tuan Anh

    (Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam)

  • Nguyen Thanh Tung

    (Provincial Level Irrigation & Water Drainage, Ca Mau 98110, Vietnam)

  • Le Xuan Tu

    (Southern Institute of Water Resources Research, Ho Chi Minh City 72704, Vietnam)

  • Tran Anh Duong

    (Institute of Applied Science, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam)

Abstract

Offshore breakwaters can be effective in reducing the energy of incident waves through dissipation, refraction or reflection. Breakwaters are increasingly constructed to stabilize eroded muddy coasts, particularly in developing countries. Accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave attenuation are two attributes of a stable muddy coast. Effective interventions in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts include two important elements: accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave reduction. The efficacy of offshore breakwaters in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts is, however, not yet adequately understood. A crucial question needing attention is whether accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave attenuation should be used in evaluating the efficacy of these offshore breakwaters in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts. To address this issue, a pile-rock offshore breakwater in Huong Mai, Tieu Dua of Ca Mau, Vietnam was selected as an appropriate example in this regard. Accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave attenuation were tested as means to investigate the efficacy of the Huong Mai structure in stabilizing the eroded muddy coast. The study was undertaken using field-based measurements and semi-structured interviews in three stages between October 2016 and December 2020. We found that this structure has had limited efficacy in stabilizing the eroded muddy coast. The structure was effective in dissipating the energy of incident waves, but we found no evidence of fine-grained sediment accumulation due to an inappropriate structural design. There was also no monitoring system in place, leading to difficulties in evaluating its efficacy in terms of wave attenuation and accumulation of fine-grained sediment. The gaps between the shoreline and the structure have not been adequately explained, resulting in substantial challenges in replicating the structure elsewhere. The Huong Mai structure should be strengthened using supplementary measures and granulometric tests in order to improve the efficacy in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts. The methods in this study provide new insights in this regard.

Suggested Citation

  • Thai Thanh Luom & Nguyen Tan Phong & Nguyen Tuan Anh & Nguyen Thanh Tung & Le Xuan Tu & Tran Anh Duong, 2021. "Using Fine-Grained Sediment and Wave Attenuation as a New Measure for Evaluating the Efficacy of Offshore Breakwaters in Stabilizing an Eroded Muddy Coast: Insights from Ca Mau, the Mekong Delta of Vi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4798-:d:542894
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/9/4798/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/9/4798/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huynh Van Tien & Nguyen Tuan Anh & Nguyen Tan Phong & Mai Le Minh Nhut, 2021. "Ecological Engineering and Restoration of Eroded Muddy Coasts in South East Asia: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-11, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nguyen Tan Phong & Thai Thanh Luom, 2021. "Configuration of Allocated Mangrove Areas and Protection of Mangrove-Dominated Muddy Coasts: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4798-:d:542894. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.