**7. Conclusions**

Undoubtedly, people and operations are facing extreme challenges in the Arctic Ocean. From polar lows and sudden storms to icing and iceberg drifts. However, more and more often, people are coming across extreme waves and permafrost erosion to an extent that has never been witnessed before. One of the reasons of this change is believed to be the melting of the ice and the alteration of the physical environment in the Arctic area. Wind blows over larger areas of the sea surface which consequently leads to more extreme wave phenomena and coastal erosion. Additionally, the increase of the annual average temperature and the prolongment of the warm periods influence the aforementioned phenomena which consequently lead to an increasing coastal erosion.

In this chapter, it is shown how such an ice shrinkage can influence the development of the waves by increasing the fetch length that will generate the examined waves. Additional research supports the aforementioned assumption, since measurements have testified that increase of the wave heights in areas where the waves were relatively mild. Of course, the outcomes from such research activities vary and

**35**

*Coastal Erosion Due to Decreased Ice Coverage, Associated Increased Wave Action…*

be the dominant and influence more significantly the situation.

generated by earthquakes and motions of the seabed.

further studies are needed to get a better view of the situation. What one can be certain of, though, is that permanent ice surface shrinkage will create a different wave and wind environment in the Arctic area. It is hard to say which of these factors will

The consequences of higher storm surge levels and higher waves and increased wave forces can be unpredictable. For instance, for already existing oil and gas platforms, which were designed according to historical data, unknown wave phenomena can, irreversibly, threaten human lives and assets. Therefore, in the case of higher waves, operators need to execute a reassessment of the air gap of the platform to avoid deck slamming; likewise, the strength of structures and safety factors should be reconsidered by including the uncertainties generated by the

Due to increased wave action and melting of permafrost, Arctic coastlines and coastal infrastructure would see an increased stress from enhanced erosion and sediment circulation when sediment transportation along the coast alters.

In practice, newly opened Arctic seas will boost and encourage trading and navigation in the region since they will provide new paths with significant economic benefits. Shipping and offshore activities in areas which today we struggle to develop would be possible, but uncertainties related to storms and associated waves will remain, unless further studies are not made. Hazards that occur in open oceans might occur in the Arctic as well. For example, such hazards could be tsunamis,

These are some examples of threats that so far were sleeping in the sea under the permanent ice coverage. Now, with its excessive melting, all these threats start coming on to the surface, putting in danger coastlines, people, and operations in the

The first author would like to thank Dr. Athanassios A. Dimas, Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Patras, for clarifying uncer-

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80604*

physical environment.

region.

**Acknowledgments**

tainties during the research.

### *Coastal Erosion Due to Decreased Ice Coverage, Associated Increased Wave Action… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80604*

further studies are needed to get a better view of the situation. What one can be certain of, though, is that permanent ice surface shrinkage will create a different wave and wind environment in the Arctic area. It is hard to say which of these factors will be the dominant and influence more significantly the situation.

The consequences of higher storm surge levels and higher waves and increased wave forces can be unpredictable. For instance, for already existing oil and gas platforms, which were designed according to historical data, unknown wave phenomena can, irreversibly, threaten human lives and assets. Therefore, in the case of higher waves, operators need to execute a reassessment of the air gap of the platform to avoid deck slamming; likewise, the strength of structures and safety factors should be reconsidered by including the uncertainties generated by the physical environment.

Due to increased wave action and melting of permafrost, Arctic coastlines and coastal infrastructure would see an increased stress from enhanced erosion and sediment circulation when sediment transportation along the coast alters.

In practice, newly opened Arctic seas will boost and encourage trading and navigation in the region since they will provide new paths with significant economic benefits. Shipping and offshore activities in areas which today we struggle to develop would be possible, but uncertainties related to storms and associated waves will remain, unless further studies are not made. Hazards that occur in open oceans might occur in the Arctic as well. For example, such hazards could be tsunamis, generated by earthquakes and motions of the seabed.

These are some examples of threats that so far were sleeping in the sea under the permanent ice coverage. Now, with its excessive melting, all these threats start coming on to the surface, putting in danger coastlines, people, and operations in the region.
