Morpho-sedimentary dynamics of Torre Guaceto beach (Southern Adriatic Sea, Italy)

Abstract

Sandy beaches are the result of a dynamic interaction among physical conditions, biological processes and the anthropic impact (essentially linked to the natural resource direct or indirect exploitation). Monitoring the health state of coastal areas is a fundamental tool for land-use management. Moreover, integrated sedimentological studies with multidisciplinary methodologies are increasingly needed. This study aims to monitor the evolution of Torre Guaceto beach (Brindisi) over different seasons. The study area is part of a protected marine reserve characterised by a relatively slight human impact and a significant availability of previous data that allows us to observe the natural dynamic effects on the health state of the beach. The research was developed by adopting different techniques in order to investigate the foreshore and the shoreface sector of the beach. The geomorphological investigation, carried out with the terrestrial laser scanner and the optical total station, aimed to quantify the variations of sediment volume of the beach, while the sedimentological and petrographical analyses were conducted to define the sand textural and compositional characteristics throughout different sampling seasons; finally, Delft3d software was applied to analyse the effects of the dominant wave motion on the sedimentary dynamics.