Overtopping is a coastal engineering term that refers to the phenomenon of waves breaking over a barrier, such as a seawall, and flowing onto the landward side. This can lead to flooding, erosion, and damage to infrastructure and property. Overtopping is typically quantified in terms of volume or discharge rate, and is influenced by factors such as wave height, wave period, and the elevation and roughness of the barrier. Overtopping can be managed through the design of coastal structures, such as breakwaters and revetments, that are intended to reduce wave energy and prevent or minimize overtopping.
Published in Chapter:
Port of Machico, Madeira: Assessment of the Consequences of Overtopping Using AHP Methodology
Copyright: © 2023
|Pages: 27
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-6449-6.ch004
Abstract
The Port of Machico, located on the Madeira Island, is an important infrastructure for the local economy and serves as a gateway for various commercial activities. However, the port is prone to overtopping events, which can result in damage to the infrastructure, disruption of activities, and harm to the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the consequences of overtopping and identify measures that can reduce the impact of these events. The methodology proposed in this chapter uses the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to evaluate the impact of overtopping events at the Port of Machico. The AHP is a multicriteria decision-making tool that allows the evaluation of alternatives based on a set of criteria and their respective weights. In this case, the criteria are related to the consequences of overtopping, such as economic losses, environmental impacts, and disruption of activities. The results obtained from the AHP can then be used to identify measures that can reduce the impact of overtopping, such as the construction of protective structures.