Multigrain sedimentation/erosion model based on cross-shore equilibrium sediment distribution: Application to nourishment design

In the light of global warming and sea level rise there are many coastal beaches that suffer from erosion. Beach nourishment has become a common practice to maintain the sediment balance on a shore-face. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model for evaluating long-term impact of beach nourishment projects has been developed. The model addresses the longstanding complex issue of coastal morphology and sediment grain size distribution from an unconventional angle, which exploits the strong links between grain size distribution and the prevailing transport direction of each sediment constituent under ‘average’ wave and storm action. The present model predicts the redistribution of nourished sediment according to the subtle clues implied by equilibrium distribution curves and latest coastal wave transformation theories. After verification against recent field observations in Terschelling, The Netherlands, the model was used to predict long-term effects of different beach nourishment strategies. It was found that: (a) given the source sediment available in Terschelling the tactics of large volume and less frequent implementation are better than otherwise; and (b) from a pure engineering point of view, waterline nourishment outperforms offshore trough nourishment. The model offers an additional tool for coastal engineers to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and the optimization of dumping locations for beach nourishment projects. It is also a useful tool for stratigraphic modelling of shallow-marine sedimentation in conjunction with sea level changes.