A componente perpendicular à costa das correntes nas plataformas continentais é comumente menos intensa e energética do que a componente paralela. Entretanto, elas são importantes no contexto da circulação normal à costa e da troca de água entre plataformas continentais e oceano aberto. Este trabalho teve por finalidade compreender o comportamento das correntes perpendiculares à costa na parte setentrional da Plataforma Continental Sudeste Brasileira (PCSE). Para tal, utilizou-se quatro anos de dados de correntometria do projeto DEPROAS em fundeios de 50, 100 e 200 metros de profundidades nas radiais de Cabo Frio, Ubatuba e Baia de Guanabara para diversas análises e procedimentos estatísticos, assim como experimentos numéricos utilizando-se o modelo computacional sECOM. Esses dados foram comparados com parâmetros adimensionais (número de Burger) afim de descrever os principais padrões de resposta dessas correntes às diversas condições nos espectros temporais e espaciais. O número de Burger (S) é um bom parâmetro para descrever o a dinâmica perpendicular na PCSE. Regiões com S próximo ou maior do que um (principalmente próximas ao talude) transportam água, para a plataforma principalmente acima da camada de fundo, devido ao rápido desligamento da camada de Ekman (períodos menores do que os subinerciais). Consequentemente, nas regiões dos fundeios das isóbatas de 200 metros, registrou-se a exportação de água da plataforma para o oceano aberto próximo ao fundo associados à maré diurna. / The cross-shore current on continental shelves are usually less intense and energetic than the alongshore current. However, they are important in characterizing the cross shelf circulation and the exchange of water between the continental shelf and the open ocean. This paper aims to understand the behavior of cross-shore currents on the northern part of the Southeast Brazilian Continental Shelf. It was used four years of current data from DEPROAS project\'s moorings (50, 100 and 200 meters depths) from cross-sections in Cabo Frio, Ubatuba and Guanabara Bay. Those data were statistically treated and analyzed. In addition, it was conducted numerical experiments with sECOM computational model. Those data were compared with dimensionless parameters (Burger number) in order to describe the main response patterns of them during different temporal and spatial conditions. The Burger number (S) is a good parameter to describe the cross-shelf dynamics in the studied area. When S is near or greater than one (especially near the slope) the water fluxes directed to the platform occurs mainly above the bottom layer due to the rapid shutdown of Ekman layer. Consequently, nearby the 200 meters isobaths, the water is exported to the open ocean near seabed associated with diurnal tide.

A componente perpendicular à costa das correntes nas plataformas continentais é comumente menos intensa e energética do que a componente paralela. Entretanto, elas são importantes no contexto da circulação normal à costa e da troca de água entre plataformas continentais e oceano aberto. Este trabalho teve por finalidade compreender o comportamento das correntes perpendiculares à costa na parte setentrional da Plataforma Continental Sudeste Brasileira (PCSE). Para tal, utilizou-se quatro anos de dados de correntometria do projeto DEPROAS em fundeios de 50, 100 e 200 metros de profundidades nas radiais de Cabo Frio, Ubatuba e Baia de Guanabara para diversas análises e procedimentos estatísticos, assim como experimentos numéricos utilizando-se o modelo computacional sECOM. Esses dados foram comparados com parâmetros adimensionais (número de Burger) afim de descrever os principais padrões de resposta dessas correntes às diversas condições nos espectros temporais e espaciais. O número de Burger (S) é um bom parâmetro para descrever o a dinâmica perpendicular na PCSE. Regiões com S próximo ou maior do que um (principalmente próximas ao talude) transportam água, para a plataforma principalmente acima da camada de fundo, devido ao rápido desligamento da camada de Ekman (períodos menores do que os subinerciais). Consequentemente, nas regiões dos fundeios das isóbatas de 200 metros, registrou-se a exportação de água da plataforma para o oceano aberto próximo ao fundo associados à maré diurna. / The cross-shore current on continental shelves are usually less intense and energetic than the alongshore current. However, they are important in characterizing the cross shelf circulation and the exchange of water between the continental shelf and the open ocean. This paper aims to understand the behavior of cross-shore currents on the northern part of the Southeast Brazilian Continental Shelf. It was used four years of current data from DEPROAS project\'s moorings (50, 100 and 200 meters depths) from cross-sections in Cabo Frio, Ubatuba and Guanabara Bay. Those data were statistically treated and analyzed. In addition, it was conducted numerical experiments with sECOM computational model. Those data were compared with dimensionless parameters (Burger number) in order to describe the main response patterns of them during different temporal and spatial conditions. The Burger number (S) is a good parameter to describe the cross-shelf dynamics in the studied area. When S is near or greater than one (especially near the slope) the water fluxes directed to the platform occurs mainly above the bottom layer due to the rapid shutdown of Ekman layer. Consequently, nearby the 200 meters isobaths, the water is exported to the open ocean near seabed associated with diurnal tide.

Numerical modelling currently cannot accurately reproduce the onshore-offshore transport asymmetry observed on gravel beaches. The role of the impulsive pressure response generated by plunging waves has been hypothesised to aid mobilisation of sediment, and thus may contribute to transport asymmetry. This process is not currently included in models. Laboratory tests were conducted across a range of wave conditions to investigate the role of plunging wave-breaker impacts on the mobilisation of sediment of gravel beaches. Pressure records were obtained at positions close to the plunging impact locations, to monitor the localised pressures that lead to sediment mobilisation. The correction of the recorded pressure to the bed surface, for further analysis, was achieved through a two stage approach. Adoption of a new technique for separating the pressure records into two components, each determined by different processes is presented. Each component is then corrected to the bed surface with the application of a pragmatic prediction of the experienced attenuation. Data covering a wide range of Iribarren values was assessed, and the impact pressure was parameterised against the wave-breaker type. This procedure identified a potential peak in the impact pressure-Iribarren space in the plunging breaker region, consistent with the previous hypothesis. Comparison of cross-shore profile records provides further limited evidence that morphological prediction fails to reproduce specific characteristics associated with profiles generated under plunging breaker action. Finally, a brief discussion is provided on how the role of the additional pressure generated under plunging impacts can be incorporated into future numerical models.

Cette recherche porte sur des modélisation des évolutions à long terme du trait de côtes, dans laquelle on propose un modèle qui combine à la fois une contribution des processus cross-shore et celle de processus longshore pour améliorer les capacités prédictives. Le modèle cross-shore de Splinter et al. (2014) est ré-implémenté dans un but de comparaison avec le modèle combiné. Nous présentons un modèle longshore simple basé sur une approche "one-line" moyenne dans le temps. L’analyse de ce modèle longshore donne l’orientation de la plage d’équilibre par rapport à l’orientation de l’onde incidente. Il révèle également qu’une partie de la variabilité saisonnière des positions du trait de côte est due au transport par la dérive littorale. Par conséquent, la contribution longshore du modèle combiné améliore les capacités prédictives. Les prédictions du modèle sont confrontées à des mesures des positions du trait de côte de différents types de plages, comme celles de Truc Vert, en France et des plages en baie avec courbure de Narrabeen, en Australie et de Nha Trang, au Vietnam.Cette thèse offre deux nouvelles contributions précieuses. Le premier est un modèle longshore simple et l’orientation de la plage d’équilibre. Le second est un modèle combiné de long-shore et cross-shore. / This research focuses on the long-term shoreline evolution modeling, in which a combined model comprising the shoreline change due to longshore drift in a cross-shore shoreline model is proposed to improve the predictive skills of the long-term shoreline response. The cross-shore shoreline model of cite{splinter2014} is re-implemented for a purpose of comprehensive comparison with the combined model. A simplified longshore shoreline model is developed on the basis of the one-line type approach. The analysis of this longshore model yields the equilibrium beach orientation in relation to the incident wave orientation. It also reveals that part of seasonal shoreline position variability is due to the longshore transport. Therefore, the presence of the longshore model in the combined model clearly improves the model skills. The shoreline evolution models are calibrated with data from different beach types, such as a straight open beach shoreline of Truc Vert, France and embayed beach shoreline of Narrabeen, Australia and Nha Trang, Vietnam.This thesis gives two valuable contributions. The first one is a simplified longshore model and the equilibrium beach orientation. The second one is a combined longshore cross-shore phenomenological model.

Les littoraux sableux dominés par l'action des vagues sont des zones très dynamiques où l'aléa érosion menace les activités humaines et la sécurité des personnes. Comprendre et prévoir les évolutions du trait de côte est crucial pour informer et guider les gestionnaires du littoral. Actuellement, aucun modèle numérique ne permet de reproduire les évolutions du trait de côte sur l'ensemble des échelles spatio-temporelles et des configurations de côte requises du fait de limitations numériques et physiques. Cette thèse se concentre sur le développement de nouveaux outils de modélisation à complexité réduite pour simuler les évolutions du trait de côte le long des littoraux sableux dominés par l'action des vagues sur des échelles de temps allant de l'heure à plusieurs décennies avec des temps de calcul réduits. D'abord, un modèle statistique de trait de côte s'appuyant uniquement sur les occurrences saisonnières de régimes de temps est développé. Ce modèle permet de simuler la variabilité du trait de côte à l'échelle pluriannuelle, sans avoir besoin de connaitre les conditions de vagues ou de modéliser le transport sédimentaire. Puis, un nouveau modèle numérique de trait de côte basé sur les vagues (LX-Shore) est développé en intégrant entre autres les forces de certains modèles existants. Il inclut les processus cross-shore et longshore, et couple la dynamique du trait de côte à la propagation des vagues via le modèle spectral de vagues SWAN. Ce modèle permet de simuler l'évolution de formes complexes comme par exemple les flèches sableuses. Ces outils ouvrent aussi la voie vers une meilleure évaluation des évolutions futures du trait de côte, ainsi que de la contribution respective des processus impliqués. / Wave-dominated sandy coasts are highly dynamic and populated systems increasingly threatened by erosion hazard. Understanding and predicting shoreline change is critical to inform and guide stakeholders. However, there is currently no numerical model able to reproduce and predict shoreline evolution over the full range of temporal scales and coastal geometries owing to numerical and physical limitations. This thesis focuses on the development of new reduced-complexity models to simulate shoreline change along wave-dominated sandy coasts on the timescales from hours to decades with low computation time. First, a statistical shoreline change model based on the seasonal occurrences of some oceanic basin weather regimes is developed. This model allows simulating shoreline variability at the seasonal and interannual scales, without resorting to wave data or sediment transport modeling. Second, a new so-called LX-Shore numerical wave-driven shoreline change model is developed, which takes the best from some existing models and includes additional numerical and physical developments. LX-Shore couples the primary longshore and cross-shore processes and includes the feedback of shoreline and bathymetric evolution on the wave field using a spectral wave model. LX-Shore successfully simulates the dynamics of coastal embayments or the formation of subsequent nonlinear evolution of complex shoreline features such as flying sandspits. It is anticipated that LX-Shore will provide new and quantitative insight into the respective contributions of the processes controlling shoreline change on real coasts for a wide range of wave climates and geological settings.

Thesis (MScEng (Civil Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Calculation of longshore sediment transport rates is a typical part of coastal engineering work. One of the important inputs to such calculations is the sediment grain size. A single, representative grain size is typically required. The inter-tidal beach is the most convenient and common area from which grain size data can be obtained. Yet only a fraction of the longshore transport occurs at the beach, with the bulk of the transport occurring in the surf zone, where sampling is difficult. Sediment transport calculations can be improved if the representative grains size is also characteristic of this area. A better understanding how the grain size in the longshore transport zone compares to the beach grain size is required. A review of relevant literature indicates that limited attention has been given to quantifying the grain size in the longshore transport zone. No previous investigations were found that tried to link the longshore transport zone grain size to that found on the beach. A comprehensive analysis of beach and longshore transport zone grain sizes was therefore undertaken and is described in this thesis. Beach grain sizes were compared to those in the longshore transport zone for three different locations around the world: Published grains size information, together with detailed wave and profile data, was obtained from the US Army Field Research Facility at Duck; a second data set was obtained from measurements done at Bogenfels in Namibia; a third dataset was compiled from sampling undertaken by the author in Table Bay, South Africa. A total of 189 samples were collected at four sampling lines in Table Bay between September 2005 and September 2006. Samples were collected across the entire profile from the primary dune to a water depth of 10 m. Samples were collected by grab in the offshore, and by swimming and diving in the surf zone. The location of the four Table Bay sampling lines was chosen so as to obtain data from beaches with different wave and grain size characteristics. Together with the Duck and Bogenfels data, data from six different beaches was therefore available for study. A settling tube was used to determine the grain sizes. Verification of the settling tube analyses against conventional sieving indicated a good comparison. However, the settling tube proved unsuitable for processing of samples with coarse to very coarse material, for which sieving was conducted instead. The grain size at the mid-tide level has been used to characterise the beach. The limits of the longshore transport zone were defined by calculating the cross-shore distribution of longshore transport with the Unibest model. Simpler methods, such as the depth of closure, either overestimated or underestimated it, depending on which wave condition was used in the depth of closure formula. It was found that the beaches with steeper mid-tide beach slopes, such as Bogenfels and northern Table Bay, had coarser median grain sizes than more gently sloping beaches such as found in the south of Table Bay. On energetic beaches, the mid-tide beach grain sizes were significantly coarser than those in the surf zone, by more than twice. At less exposed locations, such as Duck and the central Table Bay beaches, this difference was less. At sheltered locations, such as the southern sampling lines in Table Bay, the mid-tide beach grain sizes are virtually the same as those found in the surf zone. The surf similarity parameter was used to compare the characteristics of the different sites. This parameter was defined using the average wave height seaward of breaking, and the mid-tide beach slope. The ratio between the longshore transport zone grain size and the mid-tide beach grain size was found to be similar to the inverse of the surf similarity parameter for the six beaches that were studied. These findings have led to an improved understanding of the grain size in the longshore transport zone and allow a better characterisation of the representative grain size to use for sediment transport calculations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In kusingenieurswese word langstrandse sedimentvervoer (langsvervoer) gereeld bereken. Belangrike invoer vir sulke berekeninge is die verteenwordigende korrelgrootte van die sand. Die sandkorrelgrootte van die benatte strand is die maklikste om te bepaal, al vind net ‘n klein gedeelte van die langsvervoer op die benatte strand plaas. Die grootste gedeelte van die langsvervoer kom in die brandersone voor, waar dit moeilik is om monsters te neem. Sedimentvervoerberekeninge kan verbeter word as die korrelgrootte ook hierdie sone verteenwoordig. Dit is dus van belang om te verstaan hoe die korrelgrootte van die benatte strand met die gemiddelde korrelgrootte oor die algehele langsvervoersone vergelyk. ‘n Literatuursoektog dui aan dat min aandag al gegee is aan hoe die korrelgrootte op die benatte strand met dié in die langsvervoersone vergelyk. ‘n Ontleding van sandkorrelgroottes op die benatte strand en in die langsvervoersone is dus onderneem en word in die tesis uiteengesit. Strandkorrelgroottes word met dié in die langsvervoersone vergelyk vir drie verskillende gebiede in die wereld : (1) Gepubliseerde data oor korrelgroottes, sowel as strandhellings en golwe, is van die Field Research Facility by Duck in die VSA verkry ; (2) ‘n tweede stel data is van opmetings by Bogenfels in Namibie verkry; (3) die derde stel data is saamgestel deur die skrywer tydens opmetings in Tafelbaai, Suid-Afrika. ‘n Totaal van 189 monsters is tussen September 2005 en September 2006 by vier verskillende opmetingslyne in Tafelbaai geneem. Monsters is geneem van die duin tot in 10 m waterdiepte. In dieper water is grypmonsters geneem, terwyl dié in the brandersone verkry is deur te duik. Die posisie van die vier Tafelbaaise opmetingslyne is gekies om strande met verskillende golftoestande en korrelgroottes te dek. Tesame met die data van Duck en Bogenfels is dus ses datastelle vir ontleding beskikbaar. ‘n Valbuis is gebruik om die korrelgroottes te bepaal. Die valbuismetode het goed met gewone sifresultate vergelyk, behalwe vir monsters met baie growwe korrels. Hiervoor is sifwerk gebruik. Die korrelgrootte van die benatte strand is gebruik om die strand te karakteriseer. Die grense van die langsvervoersone is bepaal deur die dwarsstrandse verdeling van die langsvervoer met die Unibest-model te bereken. Eenvoudiger metodes, soos die berekening van die sluitingsdiepte, het minder betroubare resultate gelewer. Daar is gevind dat steiler benatte strande, soos Bogenfels en Noord-Tafelbaai se strande, groter gemiddelde korrelgroottes as platter benatte strande, soos dié in suidelike Tafelbaai, het. Op blootgestelde strande is die benatte strand se korrelgrootte tot meer as twee keer groter as dié in die brandersone. By gedeeltelik beskutte strande, soos Duck en Sentraal- Tafelbaai se strande, was die verskil minder. Op beskutte strande, soos die Suid-Tafelbaai se strande, is gevind dat die benatte strand se korrelgrootte amper dieselfde as dié in die brandersone is. Die brandergelyksoortigheidsfaktor is gebruik om die verskillende strande te vergelyk. Die golfhoogtes net buite die branderlyn en die benatte strandhelling is gebruik om die veranderlike te bereken. Daar is gevind dat by die ses strande wat ondersoek is, die verhouding van die korrelgrootte in die langsvervoersone en dié van die benatte strand ongeveer gelyk aan die omgekeerde brandergelyksoortigheidsfaktor is. Die bevindings het tot ‘n beter begrip van die wisseling van die korrelgroottes in die langsvervoersone gelei. Gevolglik kan ‘n akkurater verteenwoordigende sandkorrelgrootte bepaal word.

A dinâmica de praia constitui conhecimento elementar em obras de engenharia e na compreensão da evolução costeira ao longo do Quaternário recente. Buscou-se avaliar a variação temporal de curto período da morfologia e do volume de sedimento em um segmento na porção sul da praia da Ilha Comprida, litoral sul de São Paulo. Os resultados permitiram algumas interpretações, tanto em escala diária, como sazonal. As morfologias e os volumes do trecho estudado apresentaram maior similaridade entre as campanhas de maio de 2005 e janeiro de 2006, com estágio morfodinâmico de praia dissipativa, e entre agosto e novembro de 2005, com estágio de praia intermediária do tipo banco e calha. As ondas de sul com alturas de até 1 m e período médio entre 7 e 8 s atuaram no processo de engordamento da praia emersa, enquanto que as ondas desta mesma direção com alturas a partir de 1,5 m e período médio entre 8 e 10 s exerceram papel erosivo. De forma inversa, as ondas de leste com até 1 m de altura e período médio entre 6 e 8 s exerceram papel erosivo e com até 1,5 m e período médio entre 6 e 7 s, papel deposicional. / The knowledge of beach dynamics is fundamental in any coastal engineering projects as well as in the coastal evolution comprehension during the Late Quaternary. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term variations in morphology and sediment volume in a beach segment located in the southern portion of the Ilha Comprida, southern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The results allowed us to get important conclusions on daily and seasonal variations in beach morphology and behaviour. The morphology and volume data show similarity between may/2005 and jan/2006, with dissipative morphodynamic state characteristics, as well as between aug/2005 and nov/2005, characterized by an intermediate morphodynamic state. Southerly waves reaching 1m high and mean period between 7 and 8 s acts on the emerged part of the segment in a depositional way as well as southerly waves higher than 1,5 m and period between 8 and 10 s cause erosion in the same part of the beach profile. Easterly waves act in an opposite way, with lower heights causing erosion and higher causing deposition.

[Truncated abstract] With rapidly increasing population densities along coastlines and rising global sea levels, coastal protection has become a major concern for coastal communities. Predicting sediment transport in nearshore regions, however, is one of the most challenging tasks faced by coastal researchers in designing coastal structures or beach nourishment schemes. Although nearshore sediment transport mainly occurs in the longshore direction, cross-shore sediment transport is crucial in determining the shoreline evolution and beach morphology . . . This study investigated the factors influencing sediment re-suspension and cross-shore suspended sediment flux in the frequency domain through a series of field measurements conducted at several different locations and a numerical model. Only oscillatory flow components were examined and the mean flow components were not considered. Although many different factors such as cross-shore location with respect to breaker line, significant wave height to water depth ratio (Hs/h), normalised horizontal velocity skewness (<u³>/‹u²›³/²), median grain size (d50), breaker type, and wave groupiness appeared to influence the magnitude of cross-shore suspended sediment flux, bed ripples was identified as the major contributing factor in changing the direction of suspended sediment flux due to incident swell waves. Moreover, the direction changed significantly with ripple type. High frequency measurements, obtained to examine the influence of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) on higher sediment suspension events observed under wave groups indicated that higher TKE was generated at the seabed by approaching wave groups, which in turn resulted in higher suspension events.°1

Beach profile models predict the changes in bathymetry along a line perpendicular to the shoreline. These models are used to forecast bathymetric changes in response to storms, sea level rise or human activities such as dredging and beach nourishment. Process-based models achieve this by simulating the physical processes that drive the sediment transport as opposed to behavior models which simulate observed profile changes without resolving the underlying processes. Some of these processes are wave shoaling and breaking, boundary layer streaming, and offshore-directed undertow currents. These hydrodynamic processes control the sediment processes such as sediment pick-up from the bottom, diffusion of the sediment across the water column and its advection with waves and currents. For this study, newly developed sediment transport and boundary layer models were coupled with existing models of wave transformation, nearshore circulation and bathymetry update, to predict beach profile changes. The models covered the region from the dry land to a depth of 6-8 meters, spanning up to 500 meters in the cross-shore direction. The modeling system was applied at storm time scales, extending from a couple of hours to several days. Two field experiments were conducted at Myrtle Beach, SC, involving the collection of wave, current and bathymetric data as a part of this study. The results were used to calibrate and test the numerical models along with data from various laboratory studies from the literature. The sediment transport model computes the variation of sediment concentrations over a wave period and over the water column, solving the advection-diffusion equation using the Crank-Nicholson finite-difference numerical scheme. Using a new approach, erosion depth thickness and sediment concentrations within the bed were also predicted. The model could predict sediment transport rates for a range of conditions, within a factor of two. It successfully computed the sediment concentration profile over the water column and within the bed and its variation throughout a wave period. Erosion depth and sheet flow layer thickness were also predicted reasonably well. Wave heights across the profile were predicted within ten percent when the empirical wave breaking parameter was tuned appropriately. Mean cross-shore velocities contain more uncertainty, even after tuning. The importance of capturing the location of the maximum, near-bottom, cross-shore velocity when predicting bar behavior was shown. Bar formation, erosion, accretion, onshore and offshore bar movement were all computed with the model successfully

In this study, a two-dimensional depth-averaged beach evolution numerical model is developed to study the medium and long term nearshore sea bottom evolution due to non-cohesive sediment transport under the action of wind waves only over the arbitrary land and sea topographies around existing coastal structures and formations. The developed beach evolution numerical model is composed of four sub-models: a nearshore spectral wave transformation model based on energy balance equation including random wave breaking and diffraction terms to compute the nearshore wave characteristics, a nearshore wave-induced circulation model based on the non-linear shallow water equations to compute the nearshore depth averaged wave-induced current velocities and mean water level changes, a sediment transport model to compute the local total sediment transport rates occurring under the action of wind waves and a bottom evolution model to compute the bed level changes in time due to gradients of sediment transport rates in cross-shore and longshore directions. The governing partial differential equations are solved utilizing finite difference schemes. The developed models are applied successfully to several theoretical and conceptual benchmark cases and an extensive data set of laboratory and field measurements. As an alternative approach to be used in beach evolution problems, a distributed total sediment load formula is proposed based on the assumption that the local total sediment transport rates across the surf zone are proportional to the product of the rate of dissipation of wave energies due to wave breaking and wave-induced current velocities. The proposed distribute load approach is validated with the available laboratory and field measurements.