Abstract:
A contribution to increased use and development of the method of artificial nourishment of beaches is the main objective of this thesis. It also aims at being a guide for the design of the reconsctrution or outright creation of beaches.
In the first chapter, the subject is introduced and the objectives of the thesis are outlined. The second chapter cover´s some general considerations on littoral dynamics, beach equilibrium and sediment budget.
Since the theoretical foundations of the artificial nourishment of beaches still leave much to be desired, a description of this method and its principles are presented in the third chapter. Important technical and economic aspects are included, such as: sampling, analysis and characterization of native and borrow material; selection Of nourishment sources; extraction and transport of borrow sand; and characteristics of the theoretical final beach profile. Such problems as the integration of ecological aspects, and cost-benefit analysis are also treated.
in the fourth chapter, the Portuguese experience in this domain is described. The experience of such countries as France and the U.S., where this method has frequently been used is also mentioned. In this way a considerable amount of hitherto scattered information is presented in a unified way.
The fifth chapter, treats briefly the problem of coastal model similitude, both as a support for the experimental work: which was carried out and to help engineers in the design of a coastal physical model or in merely assessing the possibilities of such a model.
In the sixth chapter, an experimental study is described of the influence of both the grain size of borrow material and the nourishment method on the redistribution of sediments after the nourishment. The obtained results are compared with existing theoretical methods and some prototype results.
Finally, in the last chapter the main conclusions and recomendations of the thesis are presented.
