Civil Engineering May 2022 | Vol 30 No 4

14 May 2022 Civil Engineering C limate change, sand mining, dam, and harbour construction directly impact the coastal envi- ronment and may result in destructive outcomes. These are difficult problems to solve that can negatively impact tourism and economic development along the coast. With this in mind, understanding how to preserve or sustainably manage our coastline should be at the forefront of the agendas of coastal engineers, planners, and managers. Recent advances in fluid mechanics may provide the solutions to these problems. FLUID MECHANICS Fluid mechanics is the study of how fluids move and transport things, for example, the transport of sand under breaking waves. The Environmental Fluid Mechanics Lab at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is uniquely posi- tioned to develop engineering solutions to complex coastal problems. This is because there are no comparable research groups in the country. We have state of the art wave flumes with sediment feedback loops, advanced equipment to measure flow at a high resolution and field equipment that can measure flow and water quality. In addition to our lab and field equipment, we have high-performance computers to model breaking waves, sediment transport and fluid-structure interaction. These are essential tools for developing engineering solutions that coastal engineers, planners and managers can apply to real-world coastal problems. SHORELINE CHANGE Variations in sand supply, wave charac- teristics, and sea level rise are some of the factors affecting shoreline change. The shoreline responds dynamically to these factors, making it difficult to isolate one main driver of change. It is Our coasts for the future Dr Justin Pringle Senior Lecturer: Hydraulics & Environmental Fluid Mechanics University of KwaZulu Natal pringlej@ukzn.ac.za The coastline is a dynamic environment where weather, waves, rivers, humans, and aquatic species intersect and interact frequently. Coastal engineers, planners and managers must continuously traverse this rich space to develop engineering solutions to complex environmental and social problems. Durban has a sand bypassing scheme to prevent erosion of beaches