Valsamidis, A., Cai, Y., Reeve, D.E., 2013. Modelling beach-structure interaction using a Heaviside technique: application and validation

In this study, an analytical solution, based on a Heaviside technique, is developed to model the shoreline evolution in the vicinity of a groyne due to a random sequence of waves. The beach at Borth, Wales, UK was used as a case-study. A wave time-series covering a time period of about 12 years, was used to test the performance of a recently constructed coastal defence scheme. Transformations of the wave time-series from offshore to nearshore were performed using a semi-empirical procedure. Three different wave breaking formulae were independently applied to the wave model, and their effects to the consequent shoreline evolution were investigated. In addition, three different longshore transport formulae were compared. These were the CERC, the Kamphuis and the Bayram formulae. Results showed that the CERC formula predicted a significantly greater amount of sediment transport and hence erosion on the downdrift side of the groyne while the models based on Kamphuis and the Bayram formulae gave comparable results. All the results exhibited a strong sensitivity to the temporal resolution of the forcing. Finally, some sensitivity to the treatment of wave breaking was found.