Abstract
Abstract Extensive shell and pebble pavements occur on many beaches in N.W. Ireland, and exercise an important role in the geomorphological stability of the coastline by providing limits to erosion. Pavements form through the segregation of different grain sub-populations by bed shear stress under uniform fluid flows, probably in some instances by the overpassing mechanism described by EVERTS (1973). Pebble pavements tend to underlie the foreshores, and apart from small areas where fresh clasts are available, are not actively forming at present. Shell pavements form under both wind and moderate wave attack and usually develop on beach or berm surface. Reworking or burial of eolian shell pavements may result in thickened units or complex structures. It is calculated that resorting of between 3 and 6 m of beach sand was required to produce the pebble pavement at White Park Bay, but only about 0.4 m to produce a shell one at Magilligan. Some comparisons are drawn with other recent and ancient examples.
Published Version
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