Monitoring the Evolution of a Beach Nourishment Project

by Paul A. Work, Clemson Univ, Clemson, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Beach Nourishment Engineering and Management Considerations

Abstract:

Despite the increasing popularity of beach nourishment in response to coastal erosion, few projects have been monitored sufficiently to allow quantification of the sediment transport mechanisms which ultimately determine the 'lifetime' of such a project. A beach nourishment project at Perdido Key, Florida, provided an opportunity to collect data describing both the response of a nourished beach and the forces driving the response. Data describing the first year of evolution indicate a net 'loss' of 7% of the 4.1 million m³ of sand placed on the beach for nourishment. Inferred longshore and cross-shore sediment transport gradients are discussed and modeled numerically. The results lead to both site-specific and more general conclusions, and provide guidelines for future monitoring studies and modeling efforts.

Subject Headings: Sediment transport | Beach protection and nourishment | Project management | Numerical models | Mathematical models | Coastal management | Littoral drift | Florida | United States

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