Fine scale modelling (B3.2)

Task leader: Professor Tom Hardy, James Cook University.

Task associates:
Mr Martin Gledhill, Pacific Marine Group
Mr Michael Allen, Environmental Protection Agency.

Information about waves on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) is needed for engineering design (such as reef pontoons) and marine park management, as well as for understanding the link between physical and biological processes. Because the cost of using wave-measuring equipment is prohibitive, researchers have developed numerical models. Models have the advantage in predicting what might happen under certain conditions on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).

The aims of this project are to:

• Develop the capability of fine-scale wave prediction in and around coral reefs.

• Demonstrate the model capability to reduce design loads at existing pontoon sites.

• Enhance consulting possibilities both in region and internationally.