Numerical simulation of wave-induced morphology evolution

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated coastal engineering numerical model. The model simulates the linear wave propagation, wave-induced circulation, sediment transport and bed morphology evolution. The model consists of three main modules: Wave-LS, Wave-L and Coast. The large-scale module Wave-LS is based on the numerical solution of the directional wave energy balance equation. The near-shore wave transformation module Wave-L is based on the hyperbolic-type mild slope equation and is valid for a compound wave field near coastal structures where the waves are subjected to the combined effects of shoaling, refraction, diffraction, reflection (total and partial) and breaking. Radiation stress components (estimated from the large-scale module as well as from the hyperbolic wave module) drive the depth-averaged circulation module Coast for the description of the near-shore currents and sediment transport in the surf and swash zone. The module Coast is coupled with a three-dimensional bed evolution module to predict coastal bathymetry changes.