New 9,500-gallon wave flume installed at UNCW to advance coastline research
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The University of North Carolina Wilmington released details on Wednesday, May 31, about its new 9,500-gallon wave flume.
“UNCW students and faculty in the undergraduate Coastal Engineering program now have new ways to study the power of ocean waves using a state-of-the-art wave flume installed right next to their classrooms,” states the announcement from the university. “Spanning nearly 80 feet long and 5 feet wide, the glass and steel tank, which can be seen off the main lobby of the department’s newly constructed building, holds 9,500 gallons of water —the equivalent of over 160 bathtubs full— and is just as aesthetically pleasing as it is useful.”
The flume provides the university with a crucial laboratory piece, completing the “trifecta” of field measurements, numerical modeling and controlled laboratory experiments that are needed for research.
“The flume can be programmed to mimic nature with calm or more energetic waves, and the slope of the bottom can be adjusted to better understand how waves break under different conditions. Researchers can also add sand to study how waves affect the ocean floor by creating turbulence and currents that move sediment and by creating sandbars.”
A video detailing the installation of the wave flume, and how it operates, can be found here. It is the only flume of its size in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the country.
“The controlled and repeatable environment of the wave flume will also positively impact areas of research like instrument development; design of natural and nature-based features like seagrass marshes and living shorelines; and developing and testing computer models for how coastlines will evolve,” the release adds.
“The new wave flume has already had a number of visitors including school groups and professional societies and will be a benefit to STEM education in the region,” states the university. “In the future, Dr. Long anticipates that visiting researchers from other universities who don’t have this type of equipment will come to UNCW to conduct experiments, and entrepreneurs in the booming Wilmington startup community may also want to test new designs and innovative equipment.”
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