Development of coastal natural disaster simulation platform using 3D-GIS

Coastal regions are increasingly exposed to natural disasters intensified by climate change, including storm surges, wave overtopping, and extreme sea levels. These hazards often occur as compound events, causing severe impacts on coastal infrastructure and communities. This study presents the development of a coastal natural disaster simulation platform using 3D-GIS, aimed at improving integrated analysis and decision support for coastal disaster management.

The proposed platform integrates satellite-based observation data, in situ oceanographic and meteorological measurements, and high-resolution coastal topography within a unified 3D-GIS environment. These multi-source datasets are dynamically coupled with numerical simulation models for coastal hydrodynamics, waves, and atmospheric forcing, enabling three-dimensional and time-dependent simulation of coastal disaster processes. The system is implemented as a digital twin–based simulation framework, allowing both scenario-based analysis and near-real-time monitoring through observation–simulation linkage.

The platform was applied to selected coastal areas in Korea and validated using typhoon-induced storm surge and wave overtopping events. Results demonstrate that the 3D-GIS–based simulation approach enhances spatial understanding of complex coastal hazard mechanisms and supports scenario-driven risk assessment under changing climate conditions. This study highlights the potential of a 3D-GIS–driven simulation platform as a core digital infrastructure for coastal natural disaster prevention and climate-resilient coastal planning.