Coastal erosion simulations, the first one showing the sea current direction with a limited number of water particles, the second simulation is at full water particle saturation. the green line shows permanent structures at the year 2011, and the red line is the future projection of where the coastal edge will have shifted to.  The video may load slowly.


An earlier conversation brought up an interesting point of mapping inter-related ecologies that may be effected or will effect the shifting coastline. An example would be bird life that depend on the coastal regions of Auckland to find shelter and forage for food. This may not be entirely advance, as bird movement simulation has already been well documented, and can be found via 'flocking'.

I am interested in the temporal edge between ground and water. Thinking about ownership of land led me to think of the lost of land due to erosion in coastal edges. I looked at Smout Allen's retreating village, an experiment made for the coastal village of Happisburg. due to rising sea level and climate change, the shore line is creeping inland and houses are in danger of being lost to the waves.  here is an illustration of their proposal.

Houses on the move. Illustration by Smout Allen.

I experimented with a software called Processing. I used "agent" logic to create water and sand particles to test with. I found interesting precedent work by Alisa Andrasek, she uses the same software to simulate the motion of water current in relation to a shoreline contour. This research proved useful in helping me code realistic sea current. However, i am not able to completely imitate currents, as it is of a highly complex nature.


multi-agent based coast curvature analysis for marine development by Alisa Andresek.




A quick visit of Auckland council website, retrieved information on coastal erosion in Auckland:

• Change in sediment supply (eg seawalls blocking sediment falling from cliffs )
• Wave processes or sea level change
• Wind removal of sediment
• Stormwater discharges direct onto the beach
• Formation of updrift littoral barriers that stop sediment movement (eg groynes, breakwaters
• Loss of vegetation, which helps soak up heavy rainfall
• Loss of natural headland control.

typical causes of cliff erosion include:

• Weathering, or the effects of wetting and drying
• Bio-erosion, which is the biological weakening of rock
• Wave action
• Increased groundwater levels
• Overloading by added material, such as fill
• Landslides, slumping and slipping
• Loss of vegetation."

I have separated Auckland permanent shoreline and shoreline susceptible to erosion. I have included North shore to make things more interesting. A little research tells me that the general direction of water current comes from the north west, moving south, down the right hand side of the North Island. I have mapped this out as vector fields inside the processing software. this will provide the simulated water currents with a flow.

Relationships between the water particles and sand particles determine how the water flow, and how sand is eroded or re-deposited.

water colour analysis of edge conditions in the Fens park. Harvard landscape Architecture summer program.

edge: creep, ease, inch, infiltrate, nose out, sidle, slip by, slip past, squeeze by, squeeze past, steal, worm, allowance, advantage

This video is one of many on youtube that describes the way residents of malibu beach who prevent people access into the malibu beaches.

<iframe width="960" height="720" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H_14Id-LOr4?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

there is a dedicated website and guide to gain access to the beaches

http://laurbanrangers.org/site/malibu

Water for Sale


gaining control of a countries water through acquiring river dams, desalination plants, bottled water industries, sewage and water delivery services, construction of infrastructure.


Water for Lend