Author(s): Beatriz Perez-Diaz; Alba Ricondo; Laura Cagigal; Manuel Zornoza-Aguado; Curt D. Storlazzi; Valvanuz Fernandez-Quiruelas; Sonia Castanedo; Fernando Mendez
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Calibration; Hybrid modelling; Nearshore hydrodynamics; Optimization
Abstract: Abstract. Hydrodynamic models are fundamental tools for understanding nearshore wave dynamics and supporting coastal risk management and engineering design. Their performance, however, strongly depends on the accurate selection of calibration parameters. In this study, we introduce an automatic calibration strategy that integrates numerical simulations with statistical techniques to substantially reduce the computational effort typically required. The approach is applied to a densely monitored fringing reef system along the southern coast of Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i, where we focus on identifying the optimal values of the wave-breaking (Cr) and bed-friction (Cf) coefficients—key parameters controlling wave dissipation across the reef. Validation against three months of observed hourly data shows that the optimized parameter set yields Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) below 5% for the root-mean-square wave height (Hrms), demonstrating the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed methodology.
Year: 2026