Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves
Shoreline sand waves are shoreline undulations with a length scale of several kilometres and a time scale of years to decades. They occur on many coasts, migrating in the direction of the dominant littoral drift and they introduce a variability into the shoreline position that can be greater than th...
| Autor: | |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | tesis doctoral |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2012 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/94659 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/94659 https://dx.doi.org/10.5821/dissertation-2117-94659 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | alongshore sediment transport beach morphology coastline instability high angle waves shoreline sand waves shoreline evolution morphodynamical modelling shoreline modelling Sediments marins Sediments marins -- Transport Onades -- Investigació Canvis costaners Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Física |
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Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| title |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| spellingShingle |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves Van den Berg, Niels alongshore sediment transport beach morphology coastline instability high angle waves shoreline sand waves shoreline evolution morphodynamical modelling shoreline modelling Sediments marins Sediments marins -- Transport Onades -- Investigació Canvis costaners Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Física |
| title_short |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| title_full |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| title_fullStr |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| title_sort |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand waves |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv |
Van den Berg, Niels |
| author |
Van den Berg, Niels |
| author_facet |
Van den Berg, Niels |
| author_role |
author |
| dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv |
Ribas Prats, Francesca Falqués Serra, Albert |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv |
alongshore sediment transport beach morphology coastline instability high angle waves shoreline sand waves shoreline evolution morphodynamical modelling shoreline modelling Sediments marins Sediments marins -- Transport Onades -- Investigació Canvis costaners Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Física |
| topic |
alongshore sediment transport beach morphology coastline instability high angle waves shoreline sand waves shoreline evolution morphodynamical modelling shoreline modelling Sediments marins Sediments marins -- Transport Onades -- Investigació Canvis costaners Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Física |
| description |
Shoreline sand waves are shoreline undulations with a length scale of several kilometres and a time scale of years to decades. They occur on many coasts, migrating in the direction of the dominant littoral drift and they introduce a variability into the shoreline position that can be greater than the long term coastal trend. The objective of this thesis is to provide more insight into the formation and dynamics of shoreline sand waves and, in particular, to explore the role of the so called high angle wave instability. Previous studies showed that the shoreline can be unstable under very oblique wave incidence. This high angle wave instability develops due to the feedback of shoreline changes and the associated changes in the bathymetry into the wave field. Wave propagation over this perturbed bathymetry leads to specific gradients in the alongshore transport that can cause the growth and migration of shoreline sand waves. In this thesis a quasi 2D non-linear morphodynamical model is improved and used to explore high angle wave instability and predict the formation and evolution of shoreline sand waves. The model assumes that the large scale and long term shoreline dynamics is controlled by the wave driven alongshore transport so that the details of the surfzone morphodynamics are not resolved. It overcomes some of the limitations of previous modelling studies on high angle wave instability. The wave field is computed with a simple wave module over the evolving bathymetry and an empirical formula is used to compute the alongshore transport. Cross-shore dynamics is described in a parameterized way and the model is capable of describing shoreline perturbations with a finite and dynamic cross-shore extent. The conditions under which shoreline instability can lead to the formation of shoreline sand waves are refined. Generic simulations with constant wave conditions and random initial perturbations show that the shoreline becomes unstable when the wave incidence angle at the depth of closure (i.e., the most offshore extent of the shoreline perturbations) is larger than a critical angle of about 42 degrees and shoreline sand waves develop in unison. The cross-shore dynamics plays an essential role because it determines the offshore extent of the shoreline perturbations. Using default model parameters, wave conditions and cross-shore profile, the sand waves develop with wavelengths between 2 and 5 km, the time scale for their formation is between 5 and 10 years and they migrate downdrift at about 0.5 km/yr. Simulations with a localized large scale perturbation trigger the formation of a downdrift sand wave train. Larger wave obliquity, higher waves and shorter wave periods strengthen the shoreline instability. A more realistic wave climate, with alternating high and low angle wave incidence reduces the potential for shoreline instability. A percentage of about 80% of high angle waves is required for sand wave formation. It is demonstrated that the range of low wave angles that can occur on a coast is larger than the range of high wave angles, and that the stabilizing effect produced by low angle waves (causing diffusion) is bigger than the destabilizing effect produced by high angle waves (causing growth and migration). Even if high angle waves are not dominant, the instability mechanism might still play a role in the persistence and downdrift migration of large scale shoreline perturbations. The model results are in qualitative agreement with observations of shoreline sand waves. The quasi 2D approach provides new insight into the physical mechanisms behind high angle wave instability and the occurrence of a minimal and optimal length scale for sand wave formation. Essential physical processes are wave energy dispersion due to wave refraction, wave energy focusing near the crest of a sand wave and the monotonic decrease of the gradients in alongshore transport for increasing length scales. |
| publishDate |
2012 |
| dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2012 2012-05-11 2012 2012-11-30 |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv |
doctoral thesis http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06 VoR http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85 |
| dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis |
| format |
doctoralThesis |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv |
https://hdl.handle.net/2117/94659 https://dx.doi.org/10.5821/dissertation-2117-94659 |
| url |
https://hdl.handle.net/2117/94659 https://dx.doi.org/10.5821/dissertation-2117-94659 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv |
Inglés eng |
| language_invalid_str_mv |
Inglés |
| language |
eng |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv |
open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/es/ |
| dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/es/ |
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openAccess |
| dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
application/pdf |
| dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya |
| publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya |
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reponame:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC instname:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
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Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
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UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
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UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
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1869413077649195008 |
| spelling |
Modelling the dynamics of large scale shoreline sand wavesVan den Berg, Nielsalongshore sediment transportbeach morphologycoastline instabilityhigh angle wavesshoreline sand wavesshoreline evolution morphodynamical modelling shoreline modellingSediments marinsSediments marins -- TransportOnades -- InvestigacióCanvis costanersÀrees temàtiques de la UPC::FísicaShoreline sand waves are shoreline undulations with a length scale of several kilometres and a time scale of years to decades. They occur on many coasts, migrating in the direction of the dominant littoral drift and they introduce a variability into the shoreline position that can be greater than the long term coastal trend. The objective of this thesis is to provide more insight into the formation and dynamics of shoreline sand waves and, in particular, to explore the role of the so called high angle wave instability. Previous studies showed that the shoreline can be unstable under very oblique wave incidence. This high angle wave instability develops due to the feedback of shoreline changes and the associated changes in the bathymetry into the wave field. Wave propagation over this perturbed bathymetry leads to specific gradients in the alongshore transport that can cause the growth and migration of shoreline sand waves. In this thesis a quasi 2D non-linear morphodynamical model is improved and used to explore high angle wave instability and predict the formation and evolution of shoreline sand waves. The model assumes that the large scale and long term shoreline dynamics is controlled by the wave driven alongshore transport so that the details of the surfzone morphodynamics are not resolved. It overcomes some of the limitations of previous modelling studies on high angle wave instability. The wave field is computed with a simple wave module over the evolving bathymetry and an empirical formula is used to compute the alongshore transport. Cross-shore dynamics is described in a parameterized way and the model is capable of describing shoreline perturbations with a finite and dynamic cross-shore extent. The conditions under which shoreline instability can lead to the formation of shoreline sand waves are refined. Generic simulations with constant wave conditions and random initial perturbations show that the shoreline becomes unstable when the wave incidence angle at the depth of closure (i.e., the most offshore extent of the shoreline perturbations) is larger than a critical angle of about 42 degrees and shoreline sand waves develop in unison. The cross-shore dynamics plays an essential role because it determines the offshore extent of the shoreline perturbations. Using default model parameters, wave conditions and cross-shore profile, the sand waves develop with wavelengths between 2 and 5 km, the time scale for their formation is between 5 and 10 years and they migrate downdrift at about 0.5 km/yr. Simulations with a localized large scale perturbation trigger the formation of a downdrift sand wave train. Larger wave obliquity, higher waves and shorter wave periods strengthen the shoreline instability. A more realistic wave climate, with alternating high and low angle wave incidence reduces the potential for shoreline instability. A percentage of about 80% of high angle waves is required for sand wave formation. It is demonstrated that the range of low wave angles that can occur on a coast is larger than the range of high wave angles, and that the stabilizing effect produced by low angle waves (causing diffusion) is bigger than the destabilizing effect produced by high angle waves (causing growth and migration). Even if high angle waves are not dominant, the instability mechanism might still play a role in the persistence and downdrift migration of large scale shoreline perturbations. The model results are in qualitative agreement with observations of shoreline sand waves. The quasi 2D approach provides new insight into the physical mechanisms behind high angle wave instability and the occurrence of a minimal and optimal length scale for sand wave formation. Essential physical processes are wave energy dispersion due to wave refraction, wave energy focusing near the crest of a sand wave and the monotonic decrease of the gradients in alongshore transport for increasing length scales.Les ones de sorra a la línia de costa són ondulacions de la línia de costa amb una escala espacial de kilòmetres i una escala temporal d’anys a dècades. Ocorren a moltes costes, migren en la direcció del transport litoral i introdueixen una variabilitat a la línia de costa que pot ser major que la seva tendència a llarg termini. L’objectiu d’aquesta tesi és estudiar amb més profunditat la formació i la dinàmica de les ones de sorra i, més concretament, explorar el rol de l’anomenada inestabilitat d’angle gran. Estudis previs van demostrar que la línia de costa pot ser inestable en cas d’onades obliqües que incideixen amb un angle gran. Aquesta inestabilitat d’angle gran es produeix degut a la retroalimentació entre els canvis a la línia de costa (i els que conseqüentment ocorren a la batimetria) i els canvis al camp d’onades. La propagació de les onades sobre la batimetria pertorbada crea gradients del transport de sediment longitudinal que causen el creixement i la migració de les ones de sorra. En aquesta tesi s’ha millorat un model morfodinàmic quasi 2D i no lineal per usar-lo per explorar la inestabilitat d’angle gran i predir la formació i evolució de les ones de sorra. El model assumeix que la dinàmica a gran escala i llarg termini està dominada pel transport de sediment longitudinal produït per les onades de manera que la morfodinàmica de la zona de rompents no es detalla. S’han superat algunes de les limitacions dels estudis anteriors de modelat de la inestabilitat d’angle gran. El camp d’onades es calcula amb un mòdul senzill de propagació sobre la batimetria canviant i el transport longitudinal s’estima usant una fórmula empírica. La dinàmica transversal es parametritza per descriure pertorbacions de la línia de costa amb una extensió transversal finita i dinàmica. S’han refinat les condicions sota les quals la inestabilitat d’angle gran produeix la formació d’ones de sorra. Les simulacions amb condicions constants d’onades i pertorbacions inicials aleatòries mostren que la línia de costa esdevé inestable quan l’angle d’incidència a la profunditat de tancament és major que un angle de 42 graus i les ones de sorra es desenvolupen a l’uníson. La dinàmica transversal té un rol essencial al determinar l’extensió transversal de les pertorbacions. Usant els valors per defecte dels paràmetres del model, les ones de sorra tenen espaiats d’entre 2 i 5 km i temps de creixement d’entre 5 i 10 anys, i migren en la direcció del transport a uns 0.5 km/any. Les simulacions també mostren que una pertorbació inicial localitzada desencadena la formació d’un tren d’ones de sorra. Com més obliqües i grans són les onades i com menor és el seu període major és la inestabilitat. Un clima d’onatge més realista, alternant onades d’angle d’incidència gran i petit, redueix el potencial de la inestabilitat d’angle gran. Calen almenys un 80% d’onades d’angle gran perquè es formin ones de sorra. El rang d’onades d’angle petit que poden succeir en una costa és major que el d’onades d’angle gran, i l’efecte estabilitzador de les onades d’angle petit (que produeix difusió) és més important que l’efecte desestabilitzador de les onades d’angle gran (que produeix creixement i migració). Fins i tot si les onades d’angle gran no dominen, el mecanisme d’inestabilitat pot tenir un paper important en la persistència i migració de pertorbacions de la línia de costa a gran escala. Els resultats s’assemblen qualitativament a les observacions d’ones de sorra. L’enfocament quasi 2D permet estudiar més detalls del mecanisme físic que hi ha darrere de la inestabilitat d’angle gran i del fet que existeixin longituds d’ona mínima i òptima per la formació d’ones de sorra. Els processos físics essencials són la dispersió de l’energia de l’onatge degut a la refracció, la concentració d’energia de les onades a les crestes de les ones de sorra i el decreixement monòton del transport litoral quan augmenta l’escala espacial.Universitat Politècnica de CatalunyaRibas Prats, FrancescaFalqués Serra, Albert20122012-05-1120122012-11-30doctoral thesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesisapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2117/94659https://dx.doi.org/10.5821/dissertation-2117-94659reponame:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPCinstname:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/946592026-05-27T15:37:01Z |
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15,301629 |