Large-scale experiments on dune erosion processes

Abstract

This research provides an overview of the large-scale physical model experiments conducted at the Canal d'Investigaciò i Esperimentaciò Mar‘ıtima, Laboratori d'Enginyeria Mar‘ıtima, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, within the EU-Hydralab III Integrated Infrastructure Initiative. The model tests have been carried out in a flume with a sandy dune exposed to a combination of water levels and wave conditions. Different regimes of wave attacks on the sandy beach/dune system were investigated. In particular, the study provides a unique set of large-scale physical data concerning the wave-induced dune overwash. Measurements of velocities, sediment concentrations and beach–dune profile evolutions were considered. The profile measurements have been used to calibrate and validate a numerical model predicting the beach–dune profile modifications over the near-shore region. The numerical model compares well with the experimental data.

Keywords:

• Breaching
• dune erosion
• large-scale experiment
• numerical model
• overwash

Acknowledgements

The present research was supported by the European Community's Sixth Framework Programme through the grant to the budget of the Integrated Infrastructure Initiative HYDRALAB III within the Transnational Access Activities, Contract no. 022441. It was also partly funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (PRIN 2008 “Strumenti operativi per la stima della vulnerabilità dei litorali sabbiosi anche in presenza di strutture costiere”). \notation[Notation]