Orrin H. Pilkey

Bio and Research:

Dr. Pilkey's research centers on both basic and applied coastal geology, focusing primarily on barrier island coasts. Off Wrightsville Beach, NC, advantage is being taken of a petrographically distinct beach replenishment sand to determine paths of sand transport on the shoreface. Another ongoing project involves a detailed study of the evolution of salt marshes along various shoreline types in Pamlico and Albermarle Sounds. The goal is to understand how salt marshes in various geological settings will respond to a future rise in sea level and how this impacts on management strategies for salt marshes. Recently, Dr. Pilkey's group, along with INGEO-MINAS, carried out the first phase of a study of the Colombian Pacific Coast barrier island chain. Future studies will involve detailed coring of selected individual islands to determine how barrier islands evolve in tectonically active areas completely away from the influences of humans. Applied studies are carried out under the auspices of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines (PSDS). Such studies have included a review of the national beach replenishment experience on all 3 U.S. coasts and analysis of the validity of replenished beach engineering design parameters. The PSDS group is currently exploring, from a geologic viewpoint, methods for mitigating hurricane damage on barrier islands. The PSDS is also analyzing the numerical models used by coastal geologists and engineers to predict the movement of beach sand, especially on beach replenishment projects.