Open Sandy Beach Morphology and Morphodynamic as Response to Seasonal Monsoon in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Understanding beach morphology and morphodynamic changes is important in regions where there is a large amount of recreation and development. Kuala Terengganu beaches has many anthropogenic infastructure such as an extension to an airport runway similar in design to a groin which affect morphology and morphodynamics in response to seasonal monsoon storms. Seasonal monsoon storms are one of the most important controls on the cycle of erosion and accretion on beaches. Beach profile data and wave modelling were used to determine the response of five beaches on the north of Kuala Terengganu to Northeast and Southwest seasonal monsoons. The beaches along the Kuala Terengganu state coast before the construction of the airport extension exhibited a classical morphodynamic response. This includes erosion during Northeast monsoon and accretion/recover during Southwest monsoon. The airport construction disturbed and changed normal coastal evolution. Two distinct sediment cells were generated, each having developed a proper morphodynamic response within the Northeast and Southwest monsoon wave regimes.