Dynamics of a fetch-limited beach: a numerical modelling based analysis

Abstract

This paper describes a site specific study of a low energy estuarine beach sheltered from oceanic waves which presents a medium term (decade) geomorphologic stability. However, extreme meteorological events, characterized by strong winds, generate episodes of retreat of the beach face, which, under restored wave conditions, recovers in the short term. Three process-based models (a wind wave generation propagation model, a 2D-V littoral drift model and a 2D-V cross-shore morphodynamics model), frequently applied in open coastal areas but never in such low energy environments, were applied. The longshore transport was difficult to measure in the field and thus the numerical estimate was not validated. However, its uncertainty (9.6-16.1 x103 m3.year-1) was tested based on a sensitivity analysis of three influential parameters. Field measurements of meteo-oceanographic data and profile changes during a storm episode allowed the simulation of the hydrodynamics and sediment transport, and finally the verification of the numerical profile. Despite the volume of sediment extracted from the beach face being in good agreement with the observations, about 10m3.m-1, the profile geometry was not: the numerical profile exhibits an erosion scarp located bellow the retreat observed and a bar, at the beach face base, which was not observed in the field (probably flattened by the uprush and downrush flows). The effect of the passage of a catamaran was also evaluated: it generates an erosion of sediment up to 0.04m3.m-1 (depending on the catamaran velocity). Due to the beach geomorphologic characteristics the sediment transport is higher at higher tidal levels.