Post-2017 Hurricane Season Assessment of Civil Infrastructure Impacts on Beach and Near-Beach Environments

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of observations and preliminary measurements of coastal infrastructure in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017. Two teams mobilized by the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association were sent to document perishable data along the Texas coastline (Port Aransas, Holiday Beach, East Matagorda Peninsula, and Follets Island) and Florida Keys (Simonton Beach, Sombrero Beach, and Coco Plum Beach). Significant damage from sediment overwash and road undercutting was observed at beach access paths and roads that transect dune fields. It was also observed that beach access points weaken the line of coastal defense provided by dunes, vegetation, and structures. The lessons learned from these field reconnaissance missions indicate that longshore non-uniformity in the dune system should be well-documented. Measurements of the geometry of beach access pathways and dunes, including the height, width, length, and vegetation coverage, should be collected prior to recovery of the system post-storm.