A Theoretical Framework for Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into the Structural Design of Coastal Infrastructure in the Niger Delta

Coastal infrastructure in the Niger Delta in the South South geopolitical zone is exposed to a dynamic and worsening climate risk environment characterised by sea level rise, increased storm surge frequency and intensity, subsidence from hydrocarbon extraction, and saltwater intrusion, creating design demands that current structural codes and loading standards do not address in an integrated manner. This study develops a theoretical framework for incorporating climate change adaptation considerations into the structural design of coastal infrastructure, including pile-supported jetties, flood barriers, coastal revetments, and elevated community platforms in the Niger Delta. The framework is grounded in a structured literature synthesis of climate-resilient infrastructure design principles, a systematic review of projected climate scenarios for the Niger Delta under IPCC AR6 pathways, and a critical analysis of structural failure modes exacerbated by climate change drivers. The framework is operationalised through four interacting design modules addressing adaptive load calibration, material durability specification for elevated exposure, structural flexibility and adaptability provisions, and lifecycle monitoring integration. The framework was applied and evaluated in conceptual design workshops with structural engineers and coastal planners from three Niger Delta states, generating practitioner validation and refinement feedback. The original theoretical contribution of this work lies in its synthesis of probabilistic climate projection data with limit state structural design logic, bridging a gap between climate science and structural engineering practice in the West African coastal context. Implications for revision of the Nigerian National Building Code's coastal design chapter are articulated. Keywords: climate change adaptation, coastal infrastructure, Niger Delta, structural design framework, sea level rise.