Chapter
Dec 31, 2015
The Effect of Waves on the Profile of a Natural Beach
Authors: Warren C. Thompson and John C. HarlettAuthor Affiliations
Publication: Coastal Engineering 1968
Abstract
A 60-day field study was conducted on a selected natural beach in which the beach profile was measured daily and the waves incident upon the profile were recorded continuously. Beach and wave parameters derived from the field data were empirically combined to yield: (a) quantitative relationships between the change in the profile and the average deep-water wave steepness and wave power over a lunar day (24.8 hours) given the profile at the beginning of the period, (b) equilibrium profiles for different values of wave steepness, (c) an empirical relationship between wave steepness and wave power which agrees well with theory, and (d) rates at which the beach profile approached equilibrium for given initial conditions of non-equilibrium. Using the relationship developed between beach change and wave steepness, hmdcasts were made of the day-to-day sand elevation at a selected location near the middle of the profile and were found to agree fairly well with the observed sand level.
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Published In
Coastal Engineering 1968
Pages: 352 - 372
Copyright
© 1969 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Dec 31, 2015
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Authors
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Warren C. Thompson
Professor of Oceanography
U.S. Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California
John C. Harlett
Lieutenant, United States Navy
U.S. Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California
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