Numerical modelling of pronounced sloping beach profile evolution: comparison with the large-scale BARDEX II experiment

Abstract

Barriers and sandbars are ubiquitous natural coastal features, whose variability often determines nearshore morphological evolution. Wave-dominated beach profile evolution results from the interaction between wave non-linearities, wave-breaking induced turbulence, undertow, infragravity motions and swash processes. To explore each of these contributions to the sediment transport, the full-scale Barrier Dynamics Experiment (BARDEX II), performed in the Delta Flume in June 2012, provides a new dataset for the rigorous testing of the performance of beach profile evolution models in the case of steep beaches. This new experiment will improve our knowledge on (1) swash zone processes, including infiltration and exfiltration of water into the sand and subsequent groundwater table response, (2) bore-generated turbulence inducing suspend sediment transport, (3) surfzone sandbar dynamics and (4) overtopping/overwash impact on barrier dynamics. This study aims at testing the ability of the process-based beach profile model 1DBeach in the case of a steep beachface and a predominance of plunging breakers. In this context, we tested the model with a morphological sequence characterised by onshore and subsequent rapid offshore sandbar migration for time-invariant wave forcing and falling tide. A simulated annealing algorithm is used to calibrate the model. In this paper, we discuss the model configuration and associated results, as well as the need of intensive high-frequency full-scale data to further develop and improve process-based models.