Enhancing Coastal Erosion studies: innovative methods and data integration

Coastal erosion is a global environmental issue of growing significance, with considerable impacts on coastal ecosystems, infrastructure and human communities. Coastal environments are in fact dynamic ecosystems, continuously shaped by a complex interplay of climatic and anthropogenic factors that affect both shorelines and drainage basins. In recent decades, increasing human activities along coastal areas, coupled with the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and the heightened frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, have led to significant losses of land. As a result, awareness of the need for improved coastal zone management has grown considerably in recent years. This thesis addresses the coastal erosion main topic problem through a multidisciplinary approach, integrating predictive models, satellite analysis, socioeconomic assessments, and the development of innovative technical tools. First, a Conv-LSTM model for forecasting meto-marine conditions is presented, with a focus on wave heights, period and direction, key forcing elements for erosion dynamics. Next, the use of a semantic segmentation model applied to satellite imagery allows monitoring of shoreline changes, an essential tool for long-term analysis. A socioeconomic analysis of coastal variations is then conducted through the creation of land cover maps covering a time frame from 1985 to 2022, with a focus on the entire Sicilian region. Simultaneously, a plugin for QGIS is developed to facilitate Transect Based Analysis (TBA) of coastal variations using coastlines extracted from the segmentation model. The thesis finally includes the development approach and uses of a simulation model of shoreline trends following the construction of coastal defence works, validated through real case studies. The results of this research Thesis provide a comprehensive and integrated view of coastal dynamics behaviours, offering useful tools for sustainable management and protection of coastal zones.