Overview
Availability
- Professor Peter Nielsen is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Engineering, Technical University of Denmark
- Doctor of Philosophy, Technical University of Denmark
- Doctoral Diploma of Engineering, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Fluid mechanics broadly
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Water waves
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Coastal flooding
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Beach erosion
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Coastal groundwater issues
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Dam-break waves and steady bores and surges
new area of experimental and theoretical work from 2021.
Works
Search Professor Peter Nielsen’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Estimation of Sediment Transport Parameters From Measured Suspended Concentration Time Series Under Waves and Currents With a New Conceptual Model
Zhang, Shaotong, Zhao, Zixi, Li, Guangxue, Wu, Jinran, Wang, You-Gan, Nielsen, Peter, Jeng, Dong-Sheng, Qiao, Lulu, Wang, Chenghao and Li, Sanzhong (2024). Estimation of Sediment Transport Parameters From Measured Suspended Concentration Time Series Under Waves and Currents With a New Conceptual Model. Water Resources Research, 60 (4) ARTN e2023WR034933. doi: 10.1029/2023WR034933
2023
Journal Article
Subaqueous silt ripples measured by an echo sounder: implications for bed roughness, bed shear stress and erosion threshold
Zhang, Shaotong, Zhao, Zixi, Nielsen, Peter, Wu, Jinran, Jia, Yonggang, Li, Guangxue and Li, Sanzhong (2023). Subaqueous silt ripples measured by an echo sounder: implications for bed roughness, bed shear stress and erosion threshold. Journal of Hydrology, 626 130354, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130354
2023
Conference Publication
A process-based numerical model of shoreface profile evolution
Patterson, Dean, Nielsen, Peter, Callaghan, Dave and Baldock, Tom (2023). A process-based numerical model of shoreface profile evolution. International Conference on Coastal Engineering 2022, Sydney, Australia, 4-9 December.
2023
Journal Article
Improved prediction of local significant wave height by considering the memory of past winds
Zhang, Shaotong, Yang, Zhen, Zhang, Yaqi, Zhao, Shangrui, Wu, Jinran, Wang, Chenghao, Wang, You‐Gan, Jeng, Dong‐Sheng, Nielsen, Peter, Li, Guangxue and Li, Sanzhong (2023). Improved prediction of local significant wave height by considering the memory of past winds. Water Resources Research, 59 (8) e2023WR034974, 1-17. doi: 10.1029/2023wr034974
2023
Journal Article
Experimental investigation into the boundary layer structure near the tip of a dam-break wave on a dry, rough and horizontal bed
Xu, Beibei, Shi, Rui, Nielsen, Peter and Gong, Zheng (2023). Experimental investigation into the boundary layer structure near the tip of a dam-break wave on a dry, rough and horizontal bed. Coastal Engineering, 179 104252, 104252. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2022.104252
2022
Journal Article
Friction effects on quasi-steady dam-break wave propagation on horizontal beds
Nielsen, Peter, Xu, Beibei, Wüthrich, Davide and Zhang, Shaotong (2022). Friction effects on quasi-steady dam-break wave propagation on horizontal beds. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 939 A21. doi: 10.1017/jfm.2022.182
2021
Journal Article
Measurements of bed shear stresses near the tip of dam-break waves on a rough bed
Xu, Beibei, Zhang, Shaotong, Nielsen, Peter and Wüthrich, Davide (2021). Measurements of bed shear stresses near the tip of dam-break waves on a rough bed. Experiments in Fluids, 62 (3) 49. doi: 10.1007/s00348-021-03152-4
2021
Journal Article
Multiscale superposition and decomposition of field-measured suspended sediment concentrations: implications for extending 1DV models to coastal oceans with advected fine sediments
Zhang, Shaotong, Nielsen, Peter, Perrochet, Pierre and Jia, Yonggang (2021). Multiscale superposition and decomposition of field-measured suspended sediment concentrations: implications for extending 1DV models to coastal oceans with advected fine sediments. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126 (3) e2020JC016474. doi: 10.1029/2020JC016474
2021
Journal Article
Derivation of settling velocity, eddy diffusivity and pick-up rate from field-measured suspended sediment concentration profiles in the horizontally uniform but vertically unsteady scenario
Zhang, Shaotong, Nielsen, Peter, Perrochet, Pierre, Xu, Beibei, Jia, Yonggang and Wen, Mingzheng (2021). Derivation of settling velocity, eddy diffusivity and pick-up rate from field-measured suspended sediment concentration profiles in the horizontally uniform but vertically unsteady scenario. Applied Ocean Research, 107 102485, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.apor.2020.102485
2020
Journal Article
Non-linear wave equations for free surface flow over a bump
Sakaguchi, Shino, Nakayama, Keisuke, Vu, Thuy Thi Thu, Komai, Katsuaki and Nielsen, Peter (2020). Non-linear wave equations for free surface flow over a bump. Coastal Engineering Journal, 62 (2), 1-11. doi: 10.1080/21664250.2020.1712837
2019
Journal Article
Bed shear stress, surface shape and velocity field near the tips of dam-breaks, tsunami and wave runup: reply by Peter Nielsen
Nielsen, Peter (2019). Bed shear stress, surface shape and velocity field near the tips of dam-breaks, tsunami and wave runup: reply by Peter Nielsen. Coastal Engineering, 152 103513, 103513. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2019.103513
2018
Journal Article
Wind generation of waves: energy and momentum transfer - an overview with physical discussion
Deigaard, Rolf and Nielsen, Peter (2018). Wind generation of waves: energy and momentum transfer - an overview with physical discussion. Coastal Engineering, 139, 36-46. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2018.04.024
2018
Journal Article
Bed shear stress, surface shape and velocity field near the tips of dam-breaks, tsunami and wave runup
Nielsen, Peter (2018). Bed shear stress, surface shape and velocity field near the tips of dam-breaks, tsunami and wave runup. Coastal Engineering, 138, 126-131. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2018.04.020
2018
Journal Article
Laboratory investigation of the Bruun Rule and beach response to sea level rise
Atkinson, Alexander L., Baldock, Tom E., Birrien, Florent, Callaghan, David P., Nielsen, Peter, Beuzen, Tomas, Turner, Ian L., Blenkinsopp, Chris E. and Ranasinghe, Roshanka (2018). Laboratory investigation of the Bruun Rule and beach response to sea level rise. Coastal Engineering, 136, 183-202. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2018.03.003
2017
Journal Article
Morphological hysteresis in the evolution of beach profiles under sequences of wave climates - Part 1; observations
Baldock, T. E., Birrien, F., Atkinson, A., Shimamoto, T., Wu, S., Callaghan, D. P. and Nielsen, P. (2017). Morphological hysteresis in the evolution of beach profiles under sequences of wave climates - Part 1; observations. Coastal Engineering, 128, 92-105. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2017.08.005
2017
Journal Article
Momentum transfer under laboratory wind waves
Olfateh, M., Ware, P., Callaghan, D. P., Nielsen, P. and Baldock, T. E. (2017). Momentum transfer under laboratory wind waves. Coastal Engineering, 121, 255-264. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2016.09.001
2017
Journal Article
Tropical cyclone wind field asymmetry—development and evaluation of a new parametric model
Olfateh, Mohammad, Callaghan, David P., Nielsen, Peter and Baldock, Tom E. (2017). Tropical cyclone wind field asymmetry—development and evaluation of a new parametric model. Journal of Geophysical Research, 122 (1), 458-469. doi: 10.1002/2016JC012237
2017
Journal Article
Two-dimensional vertical moisture-pressure dynamics above groundwater waves: sand flume experiments and modelling
Shoushtari, Seyed Mohammad Hossein Jazayeri, Cartwright, Nick, Perrochet, Pierre and Nielsen, Peter (2017). Two-dimensional vertical moisture-pressure dynamics above groundwater waves: sand flume experiments and modelling. Journal of Hydrology, 544, 467-478. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.11.060
2017
Conference Publication
Lagoon stratification in Manihiki Atoll, Cook Islands
Power, Hannah E., Cossu, Remo, Callaghan, David P., Nielsen, Jesper, Hughes, Michael G. and Nielsen, Peter (2017). Lagoon stratification in Manihiki Atoll, Cook Islands. Australasian Coasts & Ports Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 21-23 June 2017. Cairns, Australia: Engineers Australia and IPENZ.
2016
Journal Article
Depth, bed slope and wave climate dependence of long term average sand transport across the lower shoreface
Patterson, D. C. and Nielsen, P. (2016). Depth, bed slope and wave climate dependence of long term average sand transport across the lower shoreface. Coastal Engineering, 117, 113-125. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2016.07.007
Funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Peter Nielsen is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Sediment transport by dam-break waves and other steady bores and surges.
This project involves both experimental work in the Civ Eng Hydraulics lab and theory.
THE SUBJECT MATTER IS NEW. NOT LIKE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN STEADY RIVER FLOWS, NOT LIKE SEDIEMT TRANSPORT UNDER WAVES.
What you will generate and study here is the sediment transport, which occurs under progressing dam-break tips, where very large bed shear stresses and correspondingly high sediment transport rates occur for a very short period (shorter than 1 second) just after the passage of the shock front.
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Finite Mixing Length Effects and the importance of coherent flow structures in Geophysical and Industrial Fluid Mechanics
It is well known that the simple gradient diffusion model fails in relation to many geophysical and industrial mixing processes where the important eddies are not infinitesimally small compared to the scales considered. Finite mixing length models are therefore an active area of research, e g Nielsen & Teakle (2004).
The present project will be mainly experimental, studying concentration profiles of light (rising) versus heavy (sinking) particles with numerically similar rise/sinking velocities in the same flow.
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Stratification effects on suspended sediment concentrations under waves
Much of the sand which migrates along the beaches travels in suspension.
The mechanisms which govern such sediment suspensions are therefore of interest.
For some combinations of wave and sand parameters stratification plays an important role. That is, for these parameter combinations, the density of the water-sand-mixture near the bed is sufficiently increased to dampen the turbulence significantly.
The thesis work involves litterature review and laboratory experiments.
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Tornados and other buoyant rotating plumes
The project will experimentally investigate the conditions under which tornado-like flows form naturally or may be triggered.
Of special interest are
- Conditions for the building of tornadoes with angular momentum originating in the clouds: Possibly the reason why tornados can exist.
- Fire tornadoes, which act like 'a chimney without walls'
- Rotating plumes of nutrient rich water, venting from the seabed, which has the potential to sustain large-scale fish production if prevented from mixing too rapidly with surrounding water so that, it can get up to the light- and oxygen-rich environment above the thermocline.
- Oil-spils which, if made to rotate, will maintain enough buoyancy to come to the surface for easy cleanup
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beach morphodynamics
Beach morphodynamics: accretion, erosion and reshaping of beaches by waves will be studied broadly. The widely used but not easily defined concept of equilibrium profiles (morphoogy) will be investigated. Next the processes of change when the morphology is out of equilibrium will be studied. This includes, for a start, the time-scales of changes under regular versus irregular waves.
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Inlet morphodynamics
Coastal inlets are important elements of the environment, which often require management in order to prevent desease due to poor water quality or to prevent flooding. It is therefore very important to understand their natural dynamics in response to forcing by waves, tides and floods. This study will be based on recent progress by Thuy & Nielsen and make use of a large NSW government database as well as new detailed field work.
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Wave runup on cliffs
Wave runup generates important coastal hazards, from the risk of fishermen getting washed off rocks to inundation and destruction of houses and road-infrastructure. While the runup process on (more or less) straight slopes like sandy beaches is fairly well understood, the runup on cliffs is not. Still the most spectacular cases of destructive runup come from cliff locations, e g, more than 50 houses were lost between 20 and 25m above sealevel on the island of Niue during Tropical Cyclone Heta in January 2004. Also, Sato et al, at Coastal Dynamics (2013) reported that the highest inundation levels associated with the 2011 Japanese tsunami, were found on cliff tops. This project incolves field measurements and associated instrument development as well as relevan theory.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Coastal erosion when managing beaches under changing climate
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan
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Doctor Philosophy
Amity Point Flow Slides: Intermediate scale investigations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan
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Doctor Philosophy
Long Term Coastal Morophology Modelling of Rainbow Channel, Moreton Bay
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan
Completed supervision
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
ASPECTS OF INLET GEOMETRY AND DYNAMICS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Modelling as an aid to understand the evolution of Australia's central east coast in response to late Pleistocene-Holocene and future sea level change
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2011
Master Philosophy
Quantification of the physical impacts of climate change on beach shoreline response
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Sheet flow sediment transport and swash hydrodynamics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
HYDRAULIC SORTING OF COASTAL HEAVY MINERAL SANDS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
COASTAL BOUNDARY LAYER AND SEDIMENT TRANSPORT MODELLING
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2005
Doctor Philosophy
ISSUES AT THE FRONTIERS OF COASTAL MORPHO-DYNAMICS MODELLING
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2004
Doctor Philosophy
EXTREME WATERLEVELS IN RIVERMOUTHS RELATING TO COASTAL FLOODING
Principal Advisor
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2004
Doctor Philosophy
GROUNDWATER DYNAMICS AND THE SALINITY STRUCTURE IN SANDY BEACHES
Principal Advisor
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
WAVE CURRENT INTERACTION MODELLING AT RIVER ENTRANCES
Principal Advisor
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
MOTION OF PARTICLES AND BUBBLES IN TURBULENT FLOWS
Principal Advisor
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
FINE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT MECHANISMS IN A SHALLOW SUBTROPICAL EMBAYMENT - A COASTAL SYSTEM RESPONSE TO EXTREME FLOODING
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alistair Grinham, Dr Remo Cossu
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Physical and numerical modelling of tsunami propagation, overtopping and bridge pier scour in coastal rivers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Interaction and growth of low frequency and high frequency wind waves
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Laboratory Beach Profile Dynamics and Responses to Changing Water Levels with and without Nourishment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2017
Master Philosophy
Investigation of the Use of a Computational Fluid Dynamics Software for Continental Shelf Scale Simulations of Surface Gravity Waves
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock, Associate Professor David Callaghan
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Infragravity wave forcing in the surf and swash zone.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
A new methodology for classification of tropical cyclones: the importance of rainfall
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Beach recovery and studies in accretive sediment transport
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Swash zone boundary conditions and direct bed shear stress measurements over loose sediment beds
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Momentum and energy transfer by wave organised motion under wind waves
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan, Professor Tom Baldock
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Nearshore and Surf Zone Wind Stress
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamic Modelling of Coastal Lagoon Opening Processes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
Measurement and Modelling of Bed Shear Induced by Solitary Waves
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Hydrodynamics of surf and swash on natural beaches
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Influence of long waves and wave groups on swash zone sediment transport
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Sediment transport and beach morphodynamics induced by long waves
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Measurement and Modelling of Swash Zone Bed Shear Stress
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tom Baldock
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