Parameterization of Velocity Skewness under Waves and its Effect on Cross-Shore Sediment Transport

Skewness of the near-bed cross-shore orbital velocity plays a central part in many beach equilibrium and sediment transport models. Although Boussinesq models can be used to predict the velocity skewness of shoaling and breaking waves, these models are computationally quite intensive. Herein, a large collection of data from a number of field environments are used to derive via genetic programming an analytical expression for velocity skewness under shoaling and breaking waves. The resulting expression provides a good fit to the data.The inclusion of skewness in a sediment transport model demonstrates its importance in predicting the shoreward transport of sediment during periods of beach recovery.