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Department of Marine Geology&Geophysics
Alimjan Abla
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Forces moving sediment at the beach
3. Wave Characteristics
4. Beach profile
5. Summary
Wave
Near shore
currents
Tides and
storm surges
Waves
Waves absorb energy from the wind. That energy is transmitted across the water
surface by waves. At the shoreline, waves break and unleash that energy on the beach.
Orbital Motion in water
wave:
- Motion within a wave tends
to be circular
- The circles get smaller with
depth
- The wave effect extends to
about 1/2 wavelength
(wave base)
Wave orbital Velocity Ub
Wave Speed C
C=L/T
C = celerity,
L = wavelength,
T = period
Classification of Waves
Wave Characteristics
H height
T period
C Celerity (speed)
L - wavelength
In deep water:
gT
C
2
gT 2
L
2
Cs gh
Ls T gh
1
E gH 2
8
L
C
Intermediate-Water Waves
L/20 < d < L/2
um increases as H increases
um increases as T decreases
Shallow-Water Waves
d < L/20
Beach Profiles
Shallow beach profiles
These beaches are also known as winter or storm beaches,
with slope angles as low as 0.5, can be up to 100 m, often have
ridge-and-runnel morphology.
Steep beach profiles
Steep beaches are alternatively known as summer or swell
beaches.
Beach angles on steep beaches can be nearly 30.
Steep beach
Sources of Asymmetry
Shoaling Transformations
Beach Percolation
Shoaling Transformations
Percolation
1
E gH 2
8
Percolation
Flow onto beach is more focused than
return flow.
Difference in flow speed causes
difference in sediment transport rate onto
and off of the beach.
Amount of percolation is affected by
grain size
Coarse beaches have lots of
percolation.
Fine-sand beaches have little
percolation.
Percolation
(foredune)
Berm
Edge Waves
Summary
Wind generated wave is the main force the sediment transport
at the beach
Sediment grains size is fundamental in percolation of water
into then beach sediments, which shapes the beach profile.
Equilibrium beach slope increases with grain size for same H/L:
increase asymmetry due to greater percolation for larger grains.
H/L greater for steeper storm waves: breaks over narrow area,
erodes particles and moves seaward reducing beach slope:
percolation effect is weak and backwash strong.
Rip Currents
Erosion Threshold
Um vs grain diameter
Sub-summary-1
Um required to move grain of given size
increases as wave period increases
Large storm waves are able to move
sediment at depth on continental shelf
Many combinations of wave period (T),
water depth (d) and wave height (H) can
move grains of various sizes
http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com/information
%20photos/Lind%20Point%20Scramble/cobblebeach.jpg
Sub-SUMMARY-2
Equilibrium beach slope increases with grain
size for same H/L: increase asymmetry due to
greater percolation for larger grains.
H/L greater for steeper storm waves: breaks
over narrow area, erodes particles and moves
seaward reducing beach slope: percolation
effect is weak and backwash strong.
H/L decreases for long wavelength lower
height summer waves: waves break over
larger area, swash is stronger than backwash
due to greater percolation which moves
sediment landward, increasing slope.