Beach Profile Model with Size-Selective Sediment Transport. I: Laboratory Experiment and Sensitivity Study
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 2
Abstract
The response of physical models of beach profiles to random breaking waves was studied to investigate size-selective sediment transport and cross-shore profile evolution. Three types of beach profiles with different sediment mixtures were considered and subjected to waves until profiles reached equilibrium. Size-selective sediment transport was evident in the experiments, with the mean sediment size varying up to 20% along the beach profiles. Consistent coarsening and fining of the surface sediment in the experiments revealed size-selective sediment transport governed by cross-shore variations in energy dissipation, affecting important beach profile features such as sandbar structures and offshore and foreshore slopes. The theoretical basis of the transport phenomenon was described by analyzing the relationship between the transport processes and essential wave and hydrodynamic parameters obtained using a new set of numerical models. The results showed that beach profile changes and associated sediment grain sorting are most sensitive to instantaneous total water velocity and local energy flux under propagating waves.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Tuncay Değirmenci, Cenk Albayrak, and Dr. Murat Kankal, who tirelessly helped with programming and operating the wavemaker throughout the experiments. This work is dedicated to the memory of a top researcher, a good person, and a beloved friend, Associate Professor Dr. Murat İhsan Kömürcü of Karadeniz Technical University in Trabzon, Turkey.
References
Aagaard, T., and Hughes, M. G. (2010). “Breaker turbulence and sediment suspension in the surf zone.” Mar. Geol., 271(3–4), 250–259.
Abreu, T., Silva, P. A., Sancho, F., and Temperville, A. (2010). “Analytical approximate wave form for asymmetric waves.” Coastal Eng., 57(7), 656–667.
Ahmed, A. S. M., and Sato, S. (2003). “A sheetflow transport model for asymmetric oscillatory flows: Part I: Uniform grain size sediments.” Coastal Eng. J., 45(3), 321–337.
Bagnold, R. A. (1940). “Beach formation by waves: Some model experiments in a wave tank.” J. Inst. Civ. Eng., 15(1), 27–52.
Bowen, A. (1980). “Simple models of nearshore sedimentation, beach profiles and longshore bars.” Proc., Coastline of Canada, Littoral Processes and Shore Morphology, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, 1–11.
Cambazoglu, M. K., and Haas, K. A. (2011). “Numerical modeling of breaking waves and cross-shore currents on barred beaches.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 310–323.
Cazenave, A., Lombard, A., and Llovel, W. (2008). “Present-day sea level rise: A synthesis.” C. R. Geosci., 340(11), 761–770.
Çelikoğlu, Y., Yüksel, Y., and Kabdaşli, M. S. (2006). “Cross-shore sorting on a beach under wave action.” J. Coastal Res., 22(3), 487–501.
Dalrymple, R. A. (1992). “Prediction of storm/normal beach profiles.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 193–200.
Dean, R. G., and Dalrymple, R. A. (2002). Coastal processes with engineering applications, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
De Vriend, H. J., and Stive, M. J. F. (1987). “Quasi-3D modelling of nearshore currents.” Coastal Eng., 11(5–6), 565–601.
Dibajnia, M., and Watanabe, A. (1996). “A transport rate formula for mixed-size sands.” Proc., 25th Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 3791–3804.
Di Risio, M., Lisi, I., Beltrami, G. M., and De Girolamo, P. (2010). “Physical modeling of the cross-shore short-term evolution of protected and unprotected beach nourishments.” Ocean Eng., 37(8–9), 777–789.
Dohmen-Janssen, C. M., Kroekenstoel, D. F., Hassan, W. N., and Ribberink, J. S. (2002). “Phase lags in oscillatory sheet flow: Experiments and bed load modelling.” Coastal Eng., 46(1), 61–87.
Elfrink, B., Hanes, D. M., and Ruessink, B. G. (2006). “Parameterization and simulation of near bed orbital velocities under irregular waves in shallow water.” Coastal Eng., 53(11), 915–927.
Erikson, L., Larson, M., and Hanson, H. (2005). “Prediction of swash motion and run-up including the effects of swash interaction.” Coastal Eng., 52(3), 285–302.
Haas, K. A., Svendsen, I. A., Haller, M. C., and Zhao, Q. (2003). “Quasi-three-dimensional modeling of rip current systems.” J. Geophys. Res., 108(C7), 3217–3238.
Haas, K. A., and Warner, J. C. (2009). “Comparing a quasi-3D to a full 3D nearshore circulation model: SHORECIRC and ROMS.” Ocean Model., 26(1–2), 91–103.
Hecht, J. (2007). “Frequency of Atlantic hurricanes doubled during last century.” New Sci., 195(2615), 15.
Hoefel, F., and Elgar, S. (2003). “Wave-induced sediment transport and sandbar migration.” Science, 299(5614), 1885–1887.
Hsu, T.-J., Elgar, S., and Guza, R. T. (2006). “Wave-induced sediment transport and onshore sandbar migration.” Coastal Eng., 53(10), 817–824.
Hughes, M. G., and Baldock, T. E. (2004). “Eulerian flow velocities in the swash zone: Field data and model predictions.” J. Geophys. Res., 109(C8), C08009.
Hughes, S. A. (1993). “Laboratory wave reflection analysis using co-located gages.” Coastal Eng., 20(3–4), 223–247.
Inman, D. L., and Chamberlain, T. K. (1959). “Tracing beach sand movement with irradiated quartz.” J. Geophys. Res., 64(1), 41–47.
Ippen, A., and Eagleson, P. (1955). “A study of sediment sorting by waves shoaling on a plane beach.” Rep. No. 63 (Tech Memo), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
Isobe, M., and Horikawa, K. (1982). “Study on water particle velocities of shoaling and breaking waves.” Coastal Eng. Jpn., 25, 109–123.
Kamphuis, J. (2009). Introduction to coastal engineering and management, World Scientific, Singapore.
Katoh, K., and Yanagishima, S.-I. (1996). “Changes of sand grain distribution in the surf zone.” Proc., Int. Conf. on Coastal Research in Terms of Large Scale Experiments, ASCE, Reston, VA, 639–650.
Kirby, J. T., Dalrymple, R., and Shi, F. (2005). “REF/DIF S version 1.3: Documentation and user’s manual.” Rep. No. CACR-04-01, Center for Applied Coastal Research, Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE.
Kraus, N. C., and Mason, J. M. (1993). “Discussion of ‘Prediction of storm/normal beach profiles’ by Robert A. Dalrymple (March/April, 1992, Vol. 118, No. 2).” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 468–470.
Liu, J. T., and Zarillo, G. A. (1993). “Simulation of grain-size abundances on a barred upper shoreface.” Mar. Geol., 109(3–4), 237–251.
Malarkey, J., Davies, A. G., and Li, Z. (2003). “A simple model of unsteady sheet-flow sediment transport.” Coastal Eng., 48(3), 171–188.
Martínez, M. L., Intralawan, A., Vázquez, G., Pérez-Maqueo, O., Sutton, P., and Landgrave, R. (2007). “The coasts of our world: Ecological, economic and social importance.” Ecol. Econ., 63(2–3), 254–272.
Merkus, H. G. (2009). Particle size measurements: Fundamentals, practice, quality, Springer, New York.
Moutzouris, C. (1989). “Longshore sediment transport rate vs. cross-shore distribution of sediment grain sizes.” Proc., 21st Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 1959–1973.
O’Donoghue, T., and Wright, S. (2004a). “Concentrations in oscillatory sheet flow for well sorted and graded sands.” Coastal Eng., 50(3), 117–138.
O’Donoghue, T., and Wright, S. (2004b). “Flow tunnel measurements of velocities and sand flux in oscillatory sheet flow for well-sorted and graded sands.” Coastal Eng., 51(11–12), 1163–1184.
Pope, L. R., and Ward, C. W. (1998). Manual on test sieving methods: Guidelines for establishing sieve analysis procedures, 4th Ed., ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA.
REF/DIF S 1.3 [Computer software]. Newark, DE, Univ. of Delaware.
Richmond, B. M., and Sallenger, A. H. (1985). “Cross-shore transport of bimodal sands.” Proc.,19th Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 1997–2008.
Shen, M. C., and Meyer, R. E. (1963a). “Climb of a bore on a beach part 2. Non-uniform beach slope.” J. Fluid Mech., 16(1), 108–112.
Shen, M. C., and Meyer, R. E. (1963b). “Climb of a bore on a beach part 3. Run-up.” J. Fluid Mech., 16(1), 113–125.
SHORECIRC 2.0 [Computer software]. Newark, DE, Univ. of Delaware.
Sonu, C. J. (1972). “Bimodal composition and cyclic characteristics of beach sediment in continuously changing profiles.” J. Sediment. Res., 42(4), 852–857.
Srisuwan, C. (2012). “Size-selective sediment transport and cross-shore profile evolution in the nearshore zone.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta.
Srisuwan, C., and Work, P. A. (2014). “Beach profile model with size-selective sediment transport. II: Numerical modeling.” J. Waterway, Port. Coastal, Ocean Eng., 04014033.
Stauble, D. K., and Cialone, M. A. (1997). “Sediment dynamics and profile interactions: DUCK94.” Proc., 25th Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering, Vol. 4, ASCE, Reston, VA, 3921–3934.
Sunamura, T., and Okazaki, S. (1996). “Breaker types and wave reflection coefficient: Laboratory relationships.” J. Coastal Res., 12(1), 240–245.
Svendsen, I. A., Haas, K. A., and Zhao, Q. (2002). “Quasi-3D nearshore circulation model (SHORECIRC).” Rep. No. CACR-02-01, Center for Applied Coastal Research, Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE.
Terwindt, J. J. (1962). “Study of grain size variations at the coast of Katwijk.” Note K-324, Rijkswaterstaat, Deltadienst, Den Haag, Netherlands (in Dutch).
Thornton, E. B., Humiston, R. T., and Birkemeier, W. (1996). “Bar/trough generation on a natural beach.” J. Geophys. Res., 101(C5), 12097–12110.
U.S. Army COE. (2006). Coastal engineering manual, Washington, DC.
van Rijn, L. C. (1993). Principles of sediment transport in rivers, estuaries and coastal seas, Aqua Publications, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
van Rijn, L. C., Tonnon, P. K., and Walstra, D. J. R. (2011). “Numerical modelling of erosion and accretion of plane sloping beaches at different scales.” Coastal Eng., 58(7), 637–655.
van Rijn, L. C., Walstra, D. J. R., Grasmeijer, B., Sutherland, J., Pan, S., and Sierra, J. P. (2003). “The predictability of cross-shore bed evolution of sandy beaches at the time scale of storms and seasons using process-based profile models.” Coastal Eng., 47(3), 295–327.
Voulgaris, G., and Collins, M. B. (2000). “Sediment resuspension on beaches: Response to breaking waves.” Mar. Geol., 167(1–2), 167–187.
Zheng, J., and Dean, R. G. (1997). “Numerical models and intercomparisons of beach profile evolution.” Coastal Eng., 30(3–4), 169–201.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 2 • March 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 16, 2013
Accepted: Jan 23, 2014
Published online: Jul 1, 2014
Published in print: Mar 1, 2015
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.