Beach profile development during a storm

A model is proposed describing short-term changes in a beach profile due to influence of stormy waves, The key assumption is the total sediment transport rate q in the nearshore area may be decomposed in two distinct components. The first is the rate q(w) induced by wave/current mechanisms and the second is the rate q(R) generated by a run-up flow. In the swash zone q(W)= 0 and q = q(R), in the wave shoaling zone q(R) = 0 and q = q(W) and in the surf zone q= q(W) + q(R). The q(W) term can be determined from the existing models of nearshore dynamics and it is used in the present work, The swash zone contribution q(R) is parameterized in terms of run-up height and equilibrium beach slope gradient, Temporal changes in beach profile are computed from the mass balance equation. A numerical procedure includes the module simulating the avalanche condition. The model is tested against data from prototype-scale wave tank experiments [19].