Chronic offshore loss of nourishment on Nice beach,French Riviera: A case of over-nourishment of a steep beach?

The 4.5 km-long gravel beach fronting the exclusive resort of the city of Nice, on the French Riviera, in southeastern France, was artificially nourished from 1976 to 2005 to the tune of 558,000 m³, making this long-term operation one of the most significant for gravel beaches in the world. Nourishment has ranged from nil in certain years (1979, 1980, 1983–85, and 2001–2002) to a peak of over 97,000 m³ in 2000. Analyses of 50 transects covering the beach highlight no significant change in net beach width over this 30-year period of massive gravel nourishment. A Principal Components Analysis and a Cluster Analysis used to detect patterns in the 87 beach-width measurement dataset show no clear spatial trends in transect groups that can be interpreted in terms of the morphology of the beach and the steep inner shoreface. Significant wave height off Nice shows no change over the period 1979–2005. Since there is no possibility for alongshore gravel leakage on the strongly embayed Nice beach, the relative stability in beach width clearly implies loss of recharged gravel offshore. Gravel loss following nourishment is favoured by: (1) the steep inner shoreface inherited from the geological context of Nice beach at the flanks of the southern Alps, and (2) the practise of artificial beach widening through flattening, in summer, of a narrow (5–15 m-wide) mobile zone of the profile in order to enhance the ‘carrying’ capacity of this highly touristic beach. Beach widening and flattening following nourishment bring close to the very steep inner shoreface zone several cubic metres of gravel for each metre of beach that may be permanently lost downslope during autumn and winter storms. Recharged gravel is redistributed alongshore and offshore leakage is probably enhanced where small narrow submarine canyon heads impinge on the beach, resulting in a very narrow shoreface. Mean beach width shows an oscillating alongshore pattern that may be due to the influence of these canyons as pathways of gravel loss offshore. However, there is no correlation between mean beach width and distance to the 10-m isobath, used as a surrogate for inner shoreface width. Storms are associated with plunging waves that are particularly effective and concentrated, on this almost tideless shore, over the narrow mobile zone of the beach profile where a series of steep reflective berms are built during storms. The high dynamic pressures associated with this narrow zone of concentrated wave breaking, and energy reflection from the steepened profile, are deemed to contribute to the permanent downslope loss of gravel. This situation of long-term gravel loss is probably accepted by the beach management authority because of the low cost of obtaining nourishment material and the advantages derived from a temporarily wider beach in terms of recreational space.     

不同补沙方案对海滩剖面影响的数值模拟对比分析

大量工程实践表明,海滩养护是当前抵御海岸侵蚀的常见措施。通过人为地向海滩补充沙源,以达到海岸防护、修复沙滩等目的。本文建立了XBeach一维海滩剖面演变数值模型,并与物理模型试验结果进行对比验证;计算常浪条件下不同方案补沙后海滩剖面达到平衡状态的速率;通过对比补沙工况与未补沙工况的风暴后剖面,分析风暴作用下的防护效果。结果发现,补沙量较大时,沙坝向海侧位置补沙在常浪条件下补沙效率高于滩肩补沙,在风暴条件下防护效果优于滩肩补沙。此次研究对于在实际海滩养护过程中节约施工成本、提高施工效率有着重要意义,同时对于评估沙滩养护工程效果有一定的参考价值。     

Development of a medium–long term beach evolution model

A new medium–long term beach evolution model is proposed. This model is based on an analytically integrated sediment conservation equation and on a beach profile evolution model. The sediment conservation equation provides the sediment supplies or losses. The beach profile evolution model redistributes the sediment supplies or losses along the beach profile. In the beach profile evolution model, the definition of the complete profile is incorporated (breaking zone, transition zone, exterior zone and geological zone). The proposed model has been applied to several theoretical cases and to field data, showing the advantages of this model compared to classical “one-line models”.     

Evaluation of the physical process controlling beach changes adjacent to nearshore dredge pits

Numerical modeling of a beach nourishment project is conducted to enable a detailed evaluation of the processes associated with the effects of nearshore dredge pits on nourishment evolution and formation of erosion hot spots. A process-based numerical model, Delft3D, is used for this purpose. The analysis is based on the modification of existing bathymetry to simulate “what if” scenarios with/without the bathymetric features of interest. Borrow pits dredged about 30 years ago to provide sand for the nourishment project have a significant influence on project performance and formation of erosional hot spots. It was found that the main processes controlling beach response to these offshore bathymetric features were feedbacks between wave forces (roller force or alongshore component of the radiation stress), pressure gradients due to differentials in wave set-up/set-down and bed shear stress. Modeling results also indicated that backfilling of selected borrow sites showed a net positive effect within the beach fill limits and caused a reduction in the magnitude of hot spot erosion.     

Numerical study of shoreline changes by emergency beach nourishment project at the Middle Beach of Beidaihe, China

Beach nourishment is a common coastal management strategy used to protect beach from erosion along the sandy coastlines. This method has been successfully applied to an emergency project at the West Beach of Beidaihe in the summer of 2008 and the full West Beach nourishment project in 2009-2010, which is the direct base of this study. Some basic information about the emergency engineering area at the Middle Beach is firstly described. The shoreline change of this area, including the analysis of beach width in five monitoring profiles in the bathing places of Middle Beach, is then discussed. After that a numerical model based on one-line theory is established and the numerical results agree well with the measured shorelines, which indicates that the model is appropriate and is qualified to predict the shoreline change of the Middle Beach. With the same model and parameters, long-term performance of the project is predicted, and the result shows that without follow-up nourishment and project, the bathing places can remain suitable for bathing for about 10 a. It is suggested to nourish the beach in time and carry out the beach nourishment project for the full Middle Beach in Beidaihe.     

近岸人工沙坝保滩促淤的试验研究

借助正态波浪模型,对北戴河海滩某横断面有、无沙坝布置进行了3种水位的极限波高入射试验,测取了坝内外波高过程线及稳定后的断面地形。试验资料及理论分析显示:有无沙坝时沿岸流及波浪的挟沙能力之比与水下沙坝的波浪透射系数的平方成正比,按试验最大透射系数计算的挟沙能力亦可降50%左右,且有沙坝上涌带破波回流对岸滩的冲刷水深可以维持在平均海平面以下1 m内,说明人工沙坝的填筑很大程度促使水体挟带泥沙于掩护区域落淤有效的阻止了泥沙的离岸亏损。试验将为保滩促淤工程设计与实施提供科学依据。     

海滩养护修复过程中拦沙堤的应用

拦沙堤作为海滩养护最常用的辅助工程之一,在全球范围内得到广泛应用。在总结我国海滩养护过程中拦沙堤应用现状的基础上,将拦沙堤的功能分为3类（防泥沙扩散、防沿岸输沙、防浪+防输沙）,并详细分析这3类拦沙堤在我国海滩养护的应用现状和发展规律。基于国内外工程实践,进一步探讨海滩养护中拦沙堤的多项应用创新：组合式拦沙堤设计、拦沙堤平面形态优化、拦沙堤堤群设计、拦沙堤+潜堤组合优化、拦沙堤+旁通输沙/循环养护。最后,展望未来海滩养护中拦沙堤的发展应用趋势（拦沙量的精准调控、丰富多样的形态设计、基于“自然工法”的生态化建设）,并给出了相关建议。     

Analysis of submerged bar nourishment strategies in a wave-dominated environment using a 2DV process-based model

The present study aims to analyze the effects of different submerged bars nourishment strategies using a 2DV process-based morphodynamical model. A two-barred beach profile typical of the French Mediterranean micro-tidal storm-dominated coastline is chosen as a reference profile. Two different kinds of modified beach profiles are considered. (i) Only the outer bar is nourished, the inner bar being unchanged (ii) both bars are nourished. Three typical wave forcing regimes are considered. The behavior of the natural profile is first investigated under the 3 wave forcing regimes. Then the behavior of the various nourished profiles is analyzed in terms of wave dynamics and bars behavior. On the basis of the model results, the outer bar only nourishment strategy appears to be preferable.     

福建崇武半月湾渔港防波堤建成后下游海滩地形变化及养护对策研究

渔港硬式构筑物如防波堤等对海岸的影响显著。以福建泉州崇武半月湾渔港防波堤修建前后的海滩变化为例,通过对2003²011年不同阶段海滩地貌形态、岸线变化分析以及2个海滩剖面多期监测比较发现,防波堤修建后海湾下游西侧海滩发生显著蚀退,西端侵蚀强度最大,向东(靠近防波堤遮蔽段)逐渐减小,中东部遮蔽段转为淤涨。海滩变化的主要原因:1)E2011年不同阶段海滩地貌形态、岸线变化分析以及2个海滩剖面多期监测比较发现,防波堤修建后海湾下游西侧海滩发生显著蚀退,西端侵蚀强度最大,向东(靠近防波堤遮蔽段)逐渐减小,中东部遮蔽段转为淤涨。海滩变化的主要原因:1)E^SE向主入射波浪受到防波堤的阻挡作用,在堤头发生绕射,港内波影区动力变弱;2)防波堤阻碍了从东向西的沿岸流运动,形成东向为主的沿岸输沙,使得东端发生堆积,造成下游的西侧海岸的沉积物亏损,发生侵蚀。针对海岸变化机理提出了海滩养护防御措施,并通过数值模拟预测说明养护海滩以由西向东输沙为主,年均输沙量约3万m3,堆积于遮蔽段,最后,提出采用周期性抽取遮蔽段养护沙补充到西端的方法来实现海滩循环养护。     

Numerical study on wave-induced filtration flow across the beach face and its effects on swash zone sediment transport

A numerical model, coupling an analysis of beach groundwater flow with an analysis of swash wave motion over a uniform slope, is presented. Model calculations are performed to investigate the variations of swash-induced filtration flows across the beach face for different input parameters. Swash zone sediment transport under the influence of such filtration flow across the beach face is investigated through modification of effective weight of sediment particle and modification of swash boundary layer thickness. These effects are quantified based on a bed load transport model with a modified Shields parameter.     

近岸人工沙坝的剖面演变规律和泥沙输运机制研究综述

近岸人工沙坝养滩是一种重要的海滩养护手段,开展人工沙坝地形演变研究是海岸带保护修复工程的重要需求。本文围绕不同动力条件下的人工沙坝横向迁移规律、形态演变模式、地貌耦合规律和水沙运动机制等理论层面,以及人工沙坝平衡剖面描述和演变过程数值模拟等方法层面,总结了近年来关于人工沙坝剖面演变规律和泥沙输运机制的国内外研究进展,并提出了关键过程机理深化、模拟预测方法改进和实际养滩工程应用等方面的今后研究重点。     

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.     

The influence of seawalls on subaerial beach volumes with receding shorelines

The results summarized herein are based on subaerial beach profiles taken on the Atlantic Ocean at Sandbridge, Virginia (USA). The shoreline has experienced an average, historic recession rate of about 2 m/yr for more than 120 years before seawall construction began in 1978. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the 16 walled sections increase the existing erosional trend at adjacent, non-walled beaches. Fifteen years of survey data are employed with 8–9 years of data taken before wall construction peaked in 1989. The main focus of these results is on five full wave years of monthly and post-storm survey data taken at 28 locations (16 walled, 4720 m, 62% and 12 non-walled, 2950 m, 38%) since October 1990. Three time scales (historic, seasonal, storms) and three analysis methods were used to address three questions concerning the effects of seawalls on adjacent beaches.It has been determined that volume erosion rates are not higher in front of seawalls (Question No. 1). However, the seasonal variability of the sand volume in front of walls is generally greater than at non-walled locations. Winter season waves drag more sand offshore in front of walls but also summer swell waves pile more sand up against walls in beach rebuilding.Walled beaches were found to recover about the same time as non-walled beaches for both seasonal transitions (winter to summer) and following erosional storm events (Question No. 2).At a few non-walled locations, the sand volume landward of adjacent walls was found to be eroding at a faster rate after wall construction. At some other non-walled locations, the sand volume landward remained constant or increased in time after nearby walled construction. The evidence for Sandbridge beach as a whole was considered inconclusive for Question No. 3.After wall construction, sand trapped behind the wall is not available for transport to adjacent beaches during and after storm events. The loss of this sand volume is felt to be in the initial stage of detection at Sandbridge. More full years of profile data are needed to confirm and quantify the effect. Sand is also trapped beneath the road (baseline) at non-walled locations. The study is continuing.     

Eco-environmental impact assessment of pre-leisure beach nourishment on the benthic invertebrate community at Anping coast

In recent years,owing to global warming and the rising sea levels,beach nourishment and groin building have been increasingly employed to protect coastal land from shoreline erosion.These actions may degrade beach habitats and reduce biomass and invertebrate density at sites where they were employed.We conducted an eco-environmental evaluation at the Anping artificial beach-nourishment project area.At this site,sand piles within a semi-enclosed spur groin have been enforced by use of eco-engineering concepts since 2003.Four sampling sites were monitored during the study period from July 2002 to September 2008.The environmental impact assessment and biological investigations that we conducted are presented here.The results from this study indicate that both biotic(number of species,number of individual organisms,and Shannon-Wiener diversity) and abiotic parameters(suspended solids,biological oxygen demand,chemical oxygen demand,dissolved inorganic nitrogen,dissolved inorganic phosphorus,total phosphorus,total organic carbon,median diameter,and water content) showed significant differences before and after beach engineering construction.Biological conditions became worse in the beginning stages of the engineering but improved after the restoration work completion.This study reveals that the composition of benthic invertebrates changed over the study period,and two groups of organisms,Bivalvia and Gastropoda,seemed to be particularly suitable to this habitat after the semi-enclosed artificial structures completion.     

海滩修复养护技术发展趋势与前景

海岸侵蚀是沿海各国面临的共同问题,海滩养护是当前砂质海岸保护的最佳手段,在全球范围内得到广泛应用。本文回顾了海滩养护技术的发展历程,总结了世界范围的海滩养护实践,分析各国海滩养护理念上存在的差异。以研究文献为基础,总结归纳了平面和横向剖面的补砂方式、辅助工程技术和海滩模型预测等方面的海滩养护技术研究进展,并在此基础上提出了海滩养护的未来发展趋势:①针对复杂海岸的海滩养护应用拓展;②基于沉积物管理的海滩养护修复;③从地貌系统到生态系统全面考虑的海滩养护技术;④全球砂源赤字条件下的海滩保护和修复思路。     

莺歌海三莺村岸段人工沙滩工程岸线数值模拟以及模型的验证方

以乐东莺歌海三莺村岸段人工沙滩工程为例,其完工1年后的岸线监测结果,表明需要进一步对人工沙滩后的海滩岸线演变进行研究分析。通过GENESIS岸线演变模型模拟人工沙滩后的岸线变化,并尝试采用3种方法对模型进行验证。经过验证后,对人工沙滩工程后1年、3年、5年岸线变化进行了模拟分析。研究结果表明:GENESIS岸线演变模型对于包围型(拦沙堤和离岸堤结合方式)人工沙滩工程是适用的。工程完工1年后,补沙岸线形成了侵淤变化的凹凸弯曲岸线,侵淤幅度不大,5年后侵淤幅度变缓,开始逐渐趋于平衡。据此,也为人工沙滩后期的养护、补沙防护工作起到重要的参考作用。     

莺歌海三莺村岸段人工沙滩工程岸线数值模拟以及模型的验证方法

以乐东莺歌海三莺村岸段人工沙滩工程为例,其完工1年后的岸线监测结果,表明需要进一步对人工沙滩后的海滩岸线演变进行研究分析。通过GENESIS岸线演变模型模拟人工沙滩后的岸线变化,并尝试采用3种方法对模型进行验证。经过验证后,对人工沙滩工程后1年、3年、5年岸线变化进行了模拟分析。研究结果表明:GENESIS岸线演变模型对于包围型(拦沙堤和离岸堤结合方式)人工沙滩工程是适用的。工程完工1年后,补沙岸线形成了侵淤变化的凹凸弯曲岸线,侵淤幅度不大,5年后侵淤幅度变缓,开始逐渐趋于平衡。据此,也为人工沙滩后期的养护、补沙防护工作起到重要的参考作用。     

Large-scale experiments on beach profile evolution and surf and swash zone sediment transport induced by long waves,wave groups and random waves

New large-scale laboratory data are presented on the influence of long waves, bichromatic wave groups and random waves on sediment transport in the surf and swash zones. Physical model testing was performed in the large-scale CIEM wave flume at UPC, Barcelona, as part of the SUSCO (swash zone response under grouping storm conditions) experiment in the Hydralab III program (Vicinanza et al., 2010). Fourteen different wave conditions were used, encompassing monochromatic waves, bichromatic wave groups and random waves. The experiments were designed specifically to compare variations in beach profile evolution between monochromatic waves and unsteady waves with the same mean energy flux. Each test commenced with approximately the same initial profile. The monochromatic conditions were perturbed with free long waves, and then subsequently substituted with bichromatic wave groups with different bandwidth and with random waves with varying groupiness. Beach profile measurements were made at half-hourly and hourly intervals, from which net cross-shore transport rates were calculated for the different wave conditions. Pairs of experiments with slightly different bandwidth or wave grouping show very similar net cross-shore sediment transport patterns, giving high confidence to the data set. Consistent with recent small-scale experiments, the data clearly show that in comparison to monochromatic conditions the bichromatic wave groups reduce onshore transport during accretive conditions and increase offshore transport during erosive conditions. The random waves have a similar influence to the bichromatic wave groups, promoting offshore transport, in comparison to the monochromatic conditions. The data also indicate that the free long waves promote onshore transport, but the conclusions are more tentative as a result of a few errors in the test schedule and modifications to the setup which reduced testing time. The experiments suggest that the inclusion of long wave and wave group sediment transport is important for improved near-shore morphological modeling of cross-shore beach profile evolution, and they provide a very comprehensive and controlled series of tests for evaluating numerical models. It is suggested that the large change in the beach response between monochromatic conditions and wave group conditions is a result of the increased significant and maximum wave heights in the wave groups, as much as the presence of the forced and free long waves induced by the groupiness. The equilibrium state model concept can provide a heuristic explanation of the influence of the wave groups on the bulk beach profile response if their effective relative fall velocity is larger than that of monochromatic waves with the same incident energy flux.     

工程养护海滩对"803"风暴潮的响应过程研究

研究养护海滩对风暴潮的响应过程在人工养滩工程设计与施工中具有重要意义。老龙头养护海滩在竣工半个月后遭遇“803”风暴潮,导致岸滩滩肩最大蚀退 6.5 m,沙坝坝顶最大下蚀 1.2 m。在现场测量的基础上,利用 XBeach 建立风暴潮过程 的老龙头海滩海床演变模型,研究结果表明： （1） XBeach 模拟结果与实际地形变化侵淤趋势一致,风暴潮期间人工沙坝均向岸移动,但模拟结果的侵蚀程度更大,海滩响应更加剧烈; （2） 强浪条件下人工沙坝的透射系数为 0.29~0.42,常浪条件下透射系数为 0.45~0.95,因而人工沙坝在大浪条件下掩护作用更佳; （3） 风暴潮期间人工沙坝附近破波显著,坝顶流速明显增大,最大可达 1.21 m/s,是无人工沙坝情况下的 2.3 倍,而在人工沙坝向岸侧,因波能提前耗散,流速减为 0.28 m/s,是无人工沙坝时的 0.4 倍,且没有产生离岸流。老龙头养护工程整体泥沙损失较少,易于恢复.