An equilibrium profile model for tidal environments

ABSTRACT. During a full tidal cycle, the beach profile is exposed to continuously changing hydrodynamical conditions. Consequently, the profile evolves constantly to adapt to these changes. The equilibrium condition on tidal beaches is defined in terms of the relative occurrence of swash, surf zone...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Bernabéu Tello, Ana María, Medina Santamaría, Raúl|||0000-0002-0126-2710, Vidal Pascual, César|||0000-0003-1178-3314 
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2002
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Cantabria (UC)
Repositorio:UCrea Repositorio Abierto de la Universidad de Cantabria
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.unican.es:10902/4127
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10902/4127
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Equilibrium beach profile
Tide
Wave breaking
Wave shoaling
Descripción
Sumario:ABSTRACT. During a full tidal cycle, the beach profile is exposed to continuously changing hydrodynamical conditions. Consequently, the profile evolves constantly to adapt to these changes. The equilibrium condition on tidal beaches is defined in terms of the relative occurrence of swash, surf zone and shoaling processes. We have assumed that the tidal beach profile is in equilibrium when the net sediment transport along a tidal cycle is zero. In this model the contribution of swash is considered negligible. A simple and easy-to-apply equilibrium profile formulation is proposed. This model is based on the assumption that surf zone processes dominate the profile morphology wherever wave breaking occurs during the tidal cycle. The obtained equilibrium profile is valid from the high tide level to the breaker point at low tide level. The tidal influence on the profile morphology is the lengthening of the surf profile. The higher the tidal range, the longer the surf profile. The model was tested against field and laboratory data, showing reasonable predictions of measured beach profiles.