Jan van de Graaff

Probabilistic design of dunes; an example from the Netherlands

Abstract Dunes act as primary sea defences in some regions over the world and they have then the same function as common sea dikes; they prevent flooding and protect people against drowning (e.g. in the Netherlands). In other regions dunes form only the transition zone between sea and land and are sometimes part of important holiday resorts. In those cases high investment costs have been made frequently in building houses and hotels close to the edge of the sea. Under storm (surge) conditions, however, dunes can be damaged by the sea. Knowing the amount of retreat of the dunes toe is in both cases important. A design method for dunes, primarily directed at the problem of the loss of life safety, has been developed in the Netherlands in recent years. Due to the large number of factors determining dune erosion, a probabilistic design method was developed.

Beach nourishment, philosophy and coastal protection policy

Abstract Like many other structures (e.g. bridges, buildings), some coasts need maintenance. Regular maintenance of structures is never considered as a waste of money, but rather as conservation of valuable investments. The repetition of beach nourishment is often seen as a negative aspect. In this respect the attitude of some coastal zone managers should change, since beach nourishment is a very versatile tool in mitigating coastal erosion problems. For the design of coastal defense schemes distinction can be made between curing the disease and treating the symptons, beach nourishment often being an example of the latter. A philosophy is given concerning the nourishment of sand at the offshore zone, the waterline, the dry beach, the dune front, and the top and the backside of the dune. It is recommended to define a set-back line sufficiently landward, and to provide the corresponding legal tools in order to allow the coastal zone manager space and time to execute his coastal defense policy.

EFFECT OF SUBMERGED BREAKWATER ON PROFILE DEVELOPMENT

A study of alternatives including a shoreline evolution numerical modelization has been carried out in order to both diagnose the erosion problem at the beaches located between Cambrils Harbour and Pixerota delta (Tarragona, Spain) and select nourishment alternatives.

SEAWALLS AND SHORELINE PROTECTION

The Labrador Sea Extreme Waves Experiment (LEWEX), is an international basic research programme concerned with full-scale measurements, analysis, modelling and simulation in test basins of 3-dimensional seas. The research is carried out in order to assess the significance of 3-dimensional sea states in engineering applications. The first phase of the programme full scale wave measurements in the North Atlantic Ocean was performed at a site and time that had a high probability of encountering severe sea states. The present publication shows examples of measured bi-modal directional sea spectra obtained with the WAVESCAN buoy and directional sea spectra measured with an airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Directional spectra of gravity waves are obtained with the SAR both in open waters and below an ice cover. Further work is needed in order to verify SAR-measurements with in-situ observations. In-situ measured directional spectra are also compared with hindcast spectra from the 3G-WAM model. Hindcast significant wave heights were found to be lower than the in-situ measurements.The littoral drift model developed at DHI and ISVA, see Deigaard et al. (1986b) has been extended to include the effects of the irregularity of the waves, of a coastal current and a wind acting on the surf zone. Further, a mathematical model to simulate the near-shore current pattern along a barred coast with rip channels has been developed. The influence on the littoral drift of the irregularity of waves, wind, coastal current, and rip channels is discussed. It is concluded that irregularity of waves and presence of rip channels must be considered while coastal current and wind action are of minor importance.At present, the Prodhoe Bay oil field in Alaska contributes a substantial amount of the domestic oil production of the United States. Oil is also expected to be present on the continental shelf of Alaska, and it is estimated that approximatedly 28 percent of the total U. S. reserve is located beneath the shallow ice covered seas of the Alaskan continental shelf. To expolre and to exploit these oil rich resources, engineers are confronted with hostile oceanographic conditions such as high tides, waves, strong currents and sea ice. The same area is also rich in fishery resources. Being one of the most productive fishing grounds in the nothern Pacific, the potential ecological impact due to an oil spill is of a major concern. This paper describes the methologies used for the development of a modeling system for the oil risk analysis. The system is designed with generality in mind so it can be used for other coastal areas. The development of three dimensional models used in the modeling system described here have been published in the earlier International Coastal Engineering Conferences (Liu and Leendertse, 1982, 1984, 1986) and a report published recently by RAND (Liu and Leendertse, 1987). In the oil-spill risk analysis, these three dimensional hydrodynamic models are coupled to a two-dimensional stochastic weather model and an oil weathering model.The two projects (LUBIATOWO 79 and LUBIATOWO 86) were aimed at study pore pressure behaviour in natural sand bed in the coastal zone of the Baltic sea under the action of storm waves. During both projects, the wave induced pore pressures at the various levels in the sea bed were measured. The collected data were used to verify the applicability of the various theoretical approaches. In the conclusion, the range of the application of the particular analytical method is given.The rapid recession of the shingle bank of Hurst Beach (up to 3.5m/yr) makes it an excellent natural laboratory for the study of the factors which influence the stability of shingle beaches. Studies have included: the significance of long period, high energy, swell waves the classification and quantification of overwash processes run-up and seepage characteristics the effect of settlement of the underlying strata and the implications for practices in shingle nourishment. The studies have revealed the distinctive character of shingle beaches as compared with the more fully researched sand beaches. More detailed research on shingle beaches is justified particularly in relation to (i) the run-up characteristics including its interaction with swash cusps and (ii) the influence of the subsidiary sand fraction on the beach characteristics.Environmental assessment, engineering studies and designs were completed for a new 26.5 m3/s seawater intake system in the Persian Gulf. The original intake facility consisted of a curved, 60m breakwater with one end attached to the shoreline, a settling basin immediately adjacent to the shoreline and dredged to a maximum depth of approximately 5m, and a pumphouse structure located on shore such that the seaward wall formed one side of the settling basin. The facility located on an island in the Gulf, which served multiple seawater uses, had experienced both structural and operational problems, the latter consisting principally of excessive ingestion of sediment and seaweed. These factors plus the requirement for additional demands for seawater beyond plant capacity caused the owner to initiate a study of alternative intake systems, produce a design for the most effective solution and construct the new intake system.A two-dimensional wave prediction model suitable for use on personal computers is described. The model requires the twodimensional time-dependent wind field as input. Output consists of wave height, wave period, and wave direction estimates at all grid points on a computational grid representing an enclosed or semi-closed basin. Model predictions compare favorably with observations from a wave research tower in Lake Erie. A formula is provided to estimate how long a model simulation would take on a personal computer given the surface area of the computational domain, the grid size, and the computer clock speed.Cullera Bay is a neritic ecosystem placed on the Spanish Mediterranean Littoral largely influenced by the Jucar River, that brings about lower salinities than surrounding waters, and broad variations of its values. An extensive research, with 9 samplings throughout the year, was carried out, measuring both physical and chemical parameters, and the planktonic communities. The trophic status of the ecosystem, the spatial and temporal variations of the nutrients and the planktonic communities were studied, evaluating the influence of the river loads and the littoral dynamics. Some essential basis to allow a suitable emplacement of waste waters disposals along the Valencian littoral are set up in order to minimize the gradual eutrophication of this coast.In the last two years a whole of studies was realized in order to determine precise solutions to the regeneration of Villajoyosas beach, in the Spanish mediterranean coast. Investigations were carried out to the surrounding coastal areas based in field investigations and laboratory analyses of the beaches materials.

SAND TRANSPORT BY WAVES

Parameter Identification (PI) algorithm is an optimization procedure that systematically searches the parameters embedded in a mathematical model. These parameters are not measurable from a physical point of view. The optimization is based on the minimization of a selected norm of the differences between the solution of the mathematical model and scattered observations collected from the system. Parameter identification (or inverse problem) has been studied in groundwater systems extensively for the past decade (15), and it has also drawn many researchers in the fields of open-channel flow and estuarine modeling since 1972 (1,2,9,17). All the past estuarine PI works in the literature are confined to the one-dimensional case, and hydrodynamics and transport equations are treated separately. This study deals with PI in a two-dimensional vertically-averaged estuarine salinity model. The salinity transport equation is coupled with the hydrodynamics equations. The coupled relationship introduces extra density terms in the hydrodynamics equations, which must be solved simultaneously with the transport equation. One of the most difficult problems in PI is the collection of needed observations from the system which is being modeled. With limited exception, the currently available data from the prototype estuaries are not adequate for the purposes of developing a PI algorithm. This is usually critical in quantity (the number of stations and/or the period of time) and in quality (noise of data). However, if an operational hydraulic model is available, the data could then be obtained economically and accurately under an ideally controlled environment. The large amount of data that can be collected from a hydraulic model of an estuary will provide a sufficient number of observations and the required initial and boundary conditions for the development of a PI algorithm. The use of the estuary hydraulic model could provide a better source of prototype data than would be available from the real estuary. It will be much easier to distinguish between the inadequacy of the mathematics and the inadequacy of our understanding of the prototype. Thus, it will give us an idea of how well we could expect to mathematically model the real estuary if we had an unlimited amount of prototype data. Additionally, when these types of data are used in PI, parameters can be optimally identified and the mathematical model can then be used conjunctively with the hydraulic model for prototype applications, provided that the mathematical model is consistently formulated. How well a hydraulic model simulates the prototype estuary is not considered in this study.The problem of buoyant surface jet (BSJ) is relevant from the practical standpoint to the discharge of cooling water of power plants into the receiving water bodies. The buoyant surface jet has extensively been studied by numerous investigators both theoretically and experimentally. Most studies have been concerned with the problems of BSJ discharged horizontally into a surface of a deep ambient water with or without cross current. From a practical standpoint, however, the design engineers are often confronted with the design of thermal outfalls in the coastal regions which are frequently shallow and have the boundary effects. Few investigators have studied the problem of BSJ discharged horizontally over slopping bottom into quiescent receiving water (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), and (7). However, no information on the foregoing problem with moving ambient water is available. The purpose of this paper is (a) to present the experimental results of BSJ which is discharged over slopping bottom into moving ambient water, and (b) to see the degree of error which is introduced by applying the deep water integral models to the case of a buoyant surface jet with a bottom boundary.This study deals with the statistical properties of the group formation of random waves determined by the zero-up-cross method. Probability distributions about (1) the run of high waves (2) the total run (3) the run of resonant wave period are derived theoretically providing that the time series of wave height and wave period form the Markov chain. Transition probabilities are given by the 2-dimensional Rayleigh distribution for the wave height train and the 2-dimensional Weibull distribution for the wave period train. And very good agreements between data and the theoretical distributions have been obtained. Then the paper discusses those parameters which affect the statistical properties of the runs and shows that the spectrum peakedness parameter for the. run of wave height and the spectrum width parameter for the run of wave period are the most predominant.One of the characteristics of the North Sea between the British Isles, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark is the occurrence of heave storm surges especially in autumn and winter with heights of about 4 m above spring highwater. Coastal areas and especially the estuaries of the tidal rivers are hit by these storm surge events. The mean tidal range at the German coast comes to about 3 m with relatively low daily and semimonthly inequalities of less than 0.5m. Within the framework of long-term developments of the navigation channels of the estuaries as well as of the storm surge protection works, physical model tests had to be carried out in order to predict the influences of such measures on the storm surge heights to be expected.A two-dimensional laboratory investigation of sediment transport, induced by shallow-water waves, showed that the sediment motion over suspension-dominant asymmetric ripples is closely related to the development of eroding beaches. High-speed motion picture analysis revealed that vortices, formed over this type of ripple, play a crucial role in transporting the sediment to the offshore region. A relation for net offshore sediment flux was formulated for sand 0.02 cm in diameter. A simple model for eroding beaches was proposed and its validity was checked by using two existing data sets for 0.02-cm sand beaches; the model could predict fairly well profile and shoreline changes in the early stages.Queenslands Beach Protection Act (1968-1974) resulted, inter alia in the formation of the Beach Protection Authority, which is responsible for investigating coastal erosion, planning remedial works, recording and evaluating results of investigations, and various other functions. Control of windblown sand and retention of vegetated and naturally stable coastal sand dunes are valuable means of decreasing coastal erosion and because of this the Authority implements a broad research program into the management of coastal dunes in Queensland. Field trials are carried out at the Authoritys Dune Management Research Station on South Stradbroke Island to determine methods of repairing, stabilizing and managing coastal dunes. The research program conducted so far consists of fifteen separate field trials within four general areas of investigation:- (a) Dune Forming Fences Two trials were installed in blown-out sections of the frontal dune to compare different types of semi-permeable fences (eg. wooden slats) and brush matting (a surface mulch of tree branches) on the basis of their ability to accumulate windblown sand and initiate dune formation. (b) Dune Stabilization Techniques Three trials were installed on bare dunal areas to evaluate methods of temporary sand surface stabilization (organic mulches and spray-on materials) as an aid in establishing dune vegetation. (c) Dune Vegetation Two trials were conducted to produce and compile information on the performance of important or potentially useful dune plants. (d) Plant Nutrition Eight trials using different combinations and rates of fertilizer were used to study methods of improvement of establishment and early growth of dune stabilizing plants, particularly sand spinifex grass (Spinifex hirsutus). Good establishment and rapid early growth is required in order to accelerate, improve, and decrease the costs of, the stabilization process.Construction of the Jebel Ali Port complex, 35 km southwest of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has included the disposal of 110 Million cubic metres of excavated spoil. Disposal of dredged carbonaceous breccia raised particular problems due to the high proportion of fines generated and which, unless properly controlled, could cause wide scale environmental damage in the coastal zone. At the same time it was necessary that acceptable reclamation should be created. An extensive data collection exercise was carried out in order to monitor the geotechnical, hydraulic, meteorological, marine climate and marine biology aspects of the operation.Tung-Kang Fishing Harbor, which is about 16 km to the south of Kaohsiung Harbor, is a river harbor on the south-west coast of Taiwan. This harbor is located at the estuary of the Niu-Pu River, which meets the Tung- Kang River and the Kao-Ping River on the north side, (see Fig. 1) The original north and south jetties were constructed in 1959. Because the entrance is located at the meeting of the three rivers and the water depth at the entrance is shallower than that in the breaking zone, the entrance is easily chocked with sand during the summer season when the south-west wind and waves are strong. Therefore, dredging is always necessary to maintain the required depth. On. the other hand, because of the increasing number of fishing boats and deeper draft, the port cannot function effectively. There-fore, how to keep the required water depth at the entrance and to obtain a wider and stable water basin is an urgent problem with this harbor. Based on the sounding of 1973, the littoral drift is mainly from the south. In the next year the construction of a 176 m long new south jetty was begun to protect the entrance and to facilitate the sedimentation study. In 1975, the Taiwan Fisheries Consultants was appointed to undertake the investigation and long-term planning work. This project includes littoral process study, planning, model test and design. Finally it is recommended that an adequate layout of south and north jetties can solve the problem of accretation of the harbor entrance. The purpose of this paper is to describe some aspects with emphasis on how to prevent the shoaling of the entrance channel located at the meeting of the rivers.

Time-Averaged Distributions of Velocity and Sediment-Concentration under Irregular Waves and Currents

The velocity and sediment-concentration distributions in the case of irregular waves and currents are studied by using the theoretical model developed by means of a mixing-length concept for sediment-laden flow, and by improving the sediment-concentration formula based on the same hypothesis. The predicted results are compared with a set of velocity and sediment-concentration data collected previously in a recirculating wave flume. The time-averaging procedure is adopted, since it eliminates the random scatter of the instantaneous components of velocities and concentration. The general characteristic of the time-averaged velocity is greatly affected by the significant-wave height and the flow direction to the generated waves, although the mixing length is a function of the sediment concentration. To compute the time-averaged vertical distribution of suspended sediment, two different formulae are proposed. The agreement between the simulated velocity and concentration profiles and the measured ones is satisfactory for the flow containing fine sands.

BREACH GROWTH RESEARCH PROGRAMME AND ITS PLACE IN DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FOR A POLDER

A special reflecting wall 12 m long and 2.1 m high was built off the beach at Reggio Calabria, and 30 wave gauges were assembled before the wall and were connected to an electronic station on land. It was possible to observe the reflection of wind waves generated by a very stable wind over a fetch of 10 Km. The experiment aimed to verify the general closed solution for the wave group mechanics (Boccotti, 1988, 1989), for the special case of the wave reflection.Significant features on Wadden Sea wave climate are evaluated in respect of the state of the art. Main emphasis was laid on an analysis of the governing boundary conditions of local wave climate in island sheltered Wadden Sea areas with extensions being sufficient for local wind wave growth. Explanatory for significant wave heights a reliable parametrization of local wave climate has been evaluated by using generally available data of water level and wind measurements.

EVALUATION OF SHOREFACE NOURISHMENTS BY LINE MODELLING

A study of alternatives including a shoreline evolution numerical modelization has been carried out in order to both diagnose the erosion problem at the beaches located between Cambrils Harbour and Pixerota delta (Tarragona, Spain) and select nourishment alternatives.

HOW TO ANALYSE BEACH PROFILE MEASUREMENTS

Tanah Lot Temple is situated in Tabanan Regency - Bali, on the coast of the Indonesian Ocean. Due to continuous wave attack, wind force, and weathering of the rock bank where the Temple stands, abrasion has occured which is more and more threatening the existence of the Temple. Considering that Tanah Lot Temple is a sacred place for the Hindu Balinese people and a place of high cultural value, and also an important tourism, steps to save the Temple are imperative. The Central as well as the Regional Authorities, and also the Bali nese community are very much interested in the effort to keep the Temple intact. Measures have been undertaken to protect both the seaside and land-side banks of the Temple rock bank. This paper only discusses counter measures of the sea —side bank of the Temple.

Coastal Protection, Structures and (Sea)Dikes

Coastal morphology changes continuously because of (changing) natural conditions. But also human interferences in the coastal system in past and at present (e.g. building manmade coastal structures like breakwaters to shelter port entrances) have affected the coastal morphology to a large extent. The coastal system is, however, a very vulnerable system, so one has to be aware of thoughtless interventions in the system.