Experimental investigation of cross-shore sandbar volumes

Abstract

Sandbars are critical to the cross-shore movement of sediment. Prediction of cross-shore sandbar volumes requires knowledge about the functional relationship of sediment transport rate conditions with waves, currents, base slope, sediment property and water depth. In this study, experiments on cross- shore sediment transport were carried out in a laboratory wave channel for initial base slopes of 1/8, 1/10 and 1/15. Using regular waves with different deep-water wave steepness generated by a pedal-type wave generator, bar volumes caused by cross-shore sediment transport are investigated for beach materials with the medium diameter of d50 = 0.25, 0.32, 0.45, 0.62 and 0.80 mm. A non-dimensional equation for sandbar volume was obtained by using linear and non-linear regression methods through the experimental data and was compared with previously developed equations in the literature. The results have shown that the experimental data fitted well to the proposed equation with respect to the previously developed equations.