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This study analyzed decadal and regional trends in one type of shore protection method: beach nourishment, since its beginning in the U.S. nearly 100 years ago. While strategies such as managed retreat may be more feasible in the long-term, beach nourishment is a dominant method of shore protection in the U.S. today. During the last century, the beaches of over 475 U.S. communities have been restored with over 1.5 billion cubic yards (cy) (1.2 billion cubic meters (m3) of sand. Over 3200 individual nourishment events have occurred with many communities renourishing multiple times. Six states account for over 83% of the total volume of sand placed on beaches: California, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, and Louisiana. New Jersey has been the most productive state in terms of sand volume per linear foot (meter) of shoreline, but has placed less than 3 cy along each foot (7 m3/m) of its oceanfront coasts annually. Growth in sand volume placed has been exponential over the last century, with the total annual volume of sand placed on U.S. beaches increasing to 37 million cy (28 million m3) per year in the last decade. Regionally, long-term beach management programs in California, Florida, and Louisiana reveal that despite significant differences in motivation, timelines and funding mechanisms, similarities are long-term beach management plans and dedicated funding sources at local, state, and/or federal levels.

Beach nourishment on open ocean beaches not bounded by headlands or other structures suffers from high rates of lateral losses of fill volume as the nourished shoreline equilibrates with its surroundings. Estimates of lateral losses are essential for beach nourishment design, these predictions have been made in the last decade utilizing empirical formulations, one line models or lately, process-based coastal morphology models. Coastal morphology models are, however, complex and computationally intensive and in order to maintain a balance between model complexities, computational effort and processing capacity, schematization of model input (input reduction) is necessary. This paper is divided into two main sections. In the first section techniques of wave input reduction for morphological models are evaluated with focus on open ocean wave-dominated coasts. Subsequently, the optimized morphological model is applied to evaluate coastal engineering interventions aimed at reducing volume losses from the Delray Beach nourishment project. Wave input reduction is defined here as the process of reducing the full wave climate of a given coastal region to a set of representative wave-wind conditions, ‘running’ a model with these representative wave conditions in sequence for a smaller time period (i.e. a few tide cycles) and multiplying its effect on the morphology by a Morfac value, that is related to the frequency of occurrence of that wave condition in nature, or its weight in the overall wave climate. Five different techniques of wave input reduction were tested. Of all the methods of wave climate schematization tested the methods defined as ‘Energy Flux Method’ and ‘Opti Method’ showed best results in terms of representing accurately the sediment transport patterns of the study area. The tests conducted indicate that a number around 12 representative wave cases was enough to represent an annual wave climate compared to a very detailed wave climate used as benchmark. The optimized model was used to evaluate alternative engineering solutions to reduce volumetric losses from the beach nourishment project. Engineering solutions evaluated included a construction of a breakwater field, backfilling all dredge pits located offshore of the project site, construction of a groin field at the downdrift end of the project, and backfilling the deepest dredge pit. These engineering interventions caused a reduction in beach volume losses within the project limits with varying levels of effect on the downdrift beaches. Reduction of the volume loss from the project site is technically feasible and may be economically feasible pending further economic feasibility evaluation.

This paper presents a comprehensive review on the interaction between hydrodynamic processes, beach morphology and sedimentology at large scale coastal behaviour along the coastline of Santa Catarina, between Laguna and Sao Francisco Island, a microtidal east coast swell environment with headland and bay geomorphologies. The parabolic bay shape equation has proven to be a convenient and practical tool for studying the stability of the headland-bay beaches, tombolos, and salients in Santa Catarina. The beaches exhibit different patterns of sediment removal as a function of the degree of beach curvature. In highly curved beaches, there is a well-developed shadow zone and a range of morphodynamic conditions, from a sheltered low-energy beach adjacent to the downdrift headland to a high-energy exposed beach on the straight end of the headland-bay beach. The less curved beaches instead, tend to show more uniform behaviour since they are directly exposed to incident waves. There is no obvious relationship between average wave height and mean grain size, showing the importance of sediment source to characterize the sedimentary distribution patterns in the study area. The analysis of beaches showed that beach morphodynamics and sequence profiles for a bay–headland coast in a microtidal east coast environment is a function of geological inheritance (e.g., distance between headlands and orientation, nearshore and inner shelf morphology, coastal plain morphology, and sediment source), and hydrodynamic factors (wave conditions, oceanic wave exposure and relative tidal range).

Headland-bay beach (HBB) is one of the most prominent physiographic features on the oceanic margin of many countries in the world. Under the influence of a predominant swell, its curved periphery in natural environment may reach static equilibrium and remains stable without sediment supply from updrift and/or a riverain source within its own embayment. Coastal scientists and engineers have attempted to develop mathematical expressions to quantify this ideal bay shape since the 1940s. As the scenario with depleting sediment supply has become a common reality on many parts of the world coastline in more recent time, some coastal engineers have advocated a rational approach to mimicking the static bay shape found in nature in order to mitigate beach erosion as well as for coastal management. Nowadays, many useful applications have emerged since the publication of the parabolic bay shape equation (PBSE) developed for static equilibrium planform (SEP) in late 1980s. The advance in modern computer technologies and international collaboration has further facilitated the exchange of knowledge and applications of this static bay beach concept (SBBC). This paper reviews the progress on the research in HBB made by geographers and geologists since the 1940s, together with the involvement of coastal engineers working on shore protection and management from the 1960s. Aided by software MEPBAY developed in 2003 for the PBSE, several practical examples are demonstrated in this paper for the stability verification of natural and man-made bay beaches, shore protection, mitigating downdrift erosion of a harbour, design of recreational bay beach, as well as for environmental impact assessment. Limitations on and clarifications for engineering applications based on the SBBC are also discussed in this paper.

Sandy bay beach in static equilibrium is the only physiographic feature that could remain stable without sediment supply in a persistent swell environment anywhere around the world. With a continuing trend of erosion to sandy beaches worldwide, a conservative and practical hypothesis is not to consider the mobile dynamic wave parameters but to safeguard against a sandy beach under vanishing supply in the future. To achieve this, an empirical bay shape equation is strongly recommended as one of the best coastal management options. Combining with MEPBAY, software derived for implementing the static bay beach concept on a display unit, this empirical bay shape equation is readily applicable to verify the stability of numerous headland bay beaches in natural and man-made condition. It is also adequate for coastal managers to apply this empirical equation as a valuable tool to aid in the creation of headland bay beaches for shore protection, recreation, and coastal management before embarking on sophi...

Beach erosion, a problem along most sandy shores, can be caused by man-induced interventions to the coast or natural processes. Remediation of beach erosion (i.e., beach restoration) along eroding developed beachfronts is commonly practiced in the United States by periodic beach renourishment with or without coastal structures. Rates of erosion within beach fills generally vary greatly, and areas that erode faster than the nourishment average are commonly termed erosional hot spots (EHSs). Delray Beach, located on the southeast coast of Florida, was renourished for the fourth time on December of 1992 with about 914,000 m3 of sand dredged from offshore and placed along 2.7 km of beach. About 448,000 m3 of the fill had eroded away by 2001, about eight and a half years after initial construction. Two beach segments with erosion rates higher than the nourishment average were identified based on analysis of annual beach profile data. About 40% of the eroded volume accrued from one of these beach segme...

Beach nourishment requires large volumes of sand from offshore and new sources are constantly sought for development. The sediment-starved continental shelf off the central-west coast of Florida has traditionally supplied beach-quality sediments from ebb-tidal shoals and nearshore sand sheets, but as these supplies dwindle, sand searches increasingly look farther offshore for resources. Widely spaced sediment ridges, interspersed by karstified limestone seafloor (hard grounds), offer potential as sand resources that can be exploited by dredging to renourish eroded beaches for shore protection. The sand ridges, late Holocene in age, are generally shoreface detached, sediment starved, and clustered in “ridge fields.” Six sediment ridge fields identified along 285 km of coast (Anclote, Sand Key, Sarasota, Manasota, Captiva, and Collier) contain about 1.4 billion cubic meters of sediments that are potentially available for dredging. Evaluation of these sediment sources, within the purview of the USMi...

Coastal land loss in the Mississippi River delta region, related to degradation of wetlands and erosion of barrier islands, contributes to loss of valuable habitat, endangerment of infrastructure and socioeconomic systems, and coastal flooding hazards. Restoration of these ecosystems is thus a primary activity that requires large volumes of sand to rebuild beach–dune systems and restore wetland habitats. Sand sources have traditionally been sought offshore in the marine environment, but there are problems associated with setbacks from oil and gas infrastructure, presence of muddy overburden, and limited reserves of beach-quality sediments. Fluvial sand sources in channel and point-bar deposits become an attractive alternative for barrier island restoration because of large volumes of relict deposits and because active sand waves are renewable. Results of preliminary geophysical and geotechnical investigations in the lower Mississippi River (south of New Orleans) along a 32-km stretch of the river...

Airborne laser bathymetry (ALB) is a new laser bathymetric survey tool that has applicability in clear coastal (Case II) waters to depths of −70 m. The new sounding technique features rapid acquisition of large, high-quality data sets via variable swath widths that are independent of water depth. This advanced ALB system was deployed along the continental shelf of southeast Florida (Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties), providing a contiguous data set for 160 km of coast from onshore to 6 km offshore. Image enhancement of the ALB digital data facilitates recognition of numerous seafloor features and bathymetric patterns. Bathymetric analysis of the 600-km2 survey area on the continental shelf shows inherited lithologic features that are partly covered by surficial sediments. Primary parabathic (shore-parallel) provinces include: (1) nearshore rocky zones dominated by the Anastasia Formation, (2) coral-algal reef systems (Florida Reef Tract [FRT]), and (3) marine platforms (terraces). Sed...

Airborne laser bathymetric (ALB) systems rapidly acquire large, high-quality datasets via variable swath widths that are independent of water depth. Laser bathymetric survey tools have applicability in clear coastal (Case II) waters down to −70 meters depth. Deployed along the southeast Florida (Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties) coast, an advanced ALB system provided a continuous dataset for 160 kilometers of coast from onshore to 6 kilometers offshore. Digital terrain models developed from this high-density bathymetric data permitted recognition of numerous seafloor features and bathymetric patterns from different image formats. Bathymetric analysis of the 600-km2 survey area on the narrow continental shelf shows inherited lithologic features that are partly covered by surficial sediments. Primary parabathic provinces include: (1) nearshore rocky zones dominated by the Anastasia Formation, (2) coral-algal reef systems (Florida Reef Tract [FRT]), and (3) marine terraces. Secondary sed...

Studies of coastal morphodynamics are becoming increasingly more focused on quantification of relationships between processes, form and function of dynamic landform systems because wave climates (e.g., wave height, wave period, seasonality, cyclical patterns) and sediments (i.e., composition, size, and shape) interact in various ways to collectively produce distinctive types of beaches. This paper identifies criteria and boundary conditions that characterize beaches in terms of morphodynamic states (environmental conditions or energetic stages of development) that produce discrete beach types. Long-term hindcast wave statistics (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wave Information Study), small-scale aerial photography, cross-shore beach profiles, and beach sediment data from Florida's Atlantic (Delray Beach) and Gulf (Longboat Key) coasts were used as a basis for linking beach morphology with coastal processes. The role of cross-shore sediment variation in classification of beaches is related to prediction of beach types using the dimensionless fall velocity (Ω), the results of which are compared with field observations and morphological interpretation of aerial photographs. A new curve-fitted equation, the morphodynamic boundary condition (MBC), identifies parametric limits that force dissipative or reflective beach conditions when new sediments are artificially placed on the beach (e.g., during beach nourishment programs). Results indicate that the Ω parameter of the new model is strongly influenced by cross-shore selective sorting of bimodal sediments, temporal changes in beach grain size, seasonal wave patterns, and inputs of new sediments to the littoral system. Calculation of Ω using beachface samples produces a bias toward reflective states (decrease in Ω). Sediment samples from bar systems, on the other hand, produce a bias toward dissipative states (increase in Ω). Composite grain size of the active profile is recommended because it more accurately predicts beach states based on Ω (compared to field observation of beach type). The addition of new sediment to beaches requires an understanding of form–process continuums and the MBC equation is a step in that direction. The potential impacts of beach nourishment on beach morphology can be thus determined from local wave data by calculating hypothetical Ω values as a function of changes in beach composite grain size and a constant K value. The MBC equation (Ω=Kdf−2), as applied in planning phases of renourishment projects, can predict changes in beach morphodynamic states, as conditioned by the grain size of the placed fill.

Chronic erosion of beaches along the eastern Texas barrier island coast is increasingly mitigated by renourishment efforts that periodically place large volumes of sand onshore. Location of beach-quality sands on the inner continental shelf is challenged in an environment where terrestrial rivers deposit fluvial sediments in back bays and lagoons instead of offshore and by shelf areas that are dominated by muds. The search for beach-quality sands thus requires understanding of the coastal geological framework and morphodynamic processes that accompanied late Quaternary evolution in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The occurrence of surficial sand deposits as positive bathymetric features on the seafloor (ridges, shoals, banks) and presence of sands buried in paleovalley (drowned channels) infill sequences makes for complicated search procedures that must accurately differentiate a range of sedimentary settings by geophysical and geotechnical surveys. Compilation of vast amounts of data from historica...

São Francisco do Sul Harbor, located in the Babitonga Bay, Santa Catarina, is one of the main containership harbors in Brazil and has been in operation since 1955. Due to the increasing demand for ships with greater size and draught, the navigation channel was dredged to 10 m depth in 1980 and has been gradually deepened to 13 m in recent years to accommodate Post-Panamax vessels. During the 30 years of dredging operations, more than 10 million m³ of sediments were removed from the coastal system and dumped into an offshore disposal area (about 15 m water depth), whilst the downdrift beach has experienced severe erosion. The downdrift municipality, Itapoá, recently filed a lawsuit against the Port claiming that harbor dredging has caused much of the erosion observed on its beaches. In order to evaluate the downdrift effects of dredging and maintaining the deep draft navigation channel across the ebb shoal of Babitonga Bay, the Delft3D model was used. The model was calibrated and validated with field data (water level and currents, waves and morphological changes). To evaluate channel impacts on adjacent beaches, 10 years morphology change simulations were conducted for pre-dredging scenario and scenarios of the navigation channel dredged at 10 m and 13 m depth, using the dredge and dump tool in Delft3D to maintain the deep draft channel along the simulation. A conceptual model of the sedimentary dynamics of the area was developed utilizing results from numerical modeling and field observations. It was observed in the results that dredging and maintaining the deep draft navigation channel over the last few decades have reduced the amount of sediment bypass by about 13 %. Channel dredging has therefore contributed to the erosion of the adjacent beaches, however other man-made interventions on this coastal system that contributed to the erosion problem were also identified (bay closure and tidal prism changes as well as jetties and other structures built updrift). Thus, it cannot be inferred that all the erosion of the downdrift beaches is due to the dredging activities. To mitigate for erosion effects of channel dredging, beneficial sediment disposal strategies were investigated. Strategies evaluated included beach disposal and ebb-shoal disposal of dredged materials. Beach disposal was the alternative that produced direct benefits to the downdrift beach while ebb-shoal disposal produced benefits that were not directly detected on the beach during the time frame evaluated here. Due to benefit-cost considerations, beach disposal was recommended for maintenance operations where dredging volume is greater than 400.000 m³ (about 50 % of the dredging maintenance operations exceed this threshold). For smaller maintenance dredging events, ebb shoal disposal was recommended. This work is the first of this nature in Brazil driven by legal disputes between downdrift beaches and Port authority and sets the precedent for future beneficial use of dredging materials along the Brazilian coast.

The coastline of Panama City Beach, Florida (FL) has been stricken by several hurricanes during the last decades, especially after 1995. In 1998, beach nourishment projects started being implemented to address the impacts of the hurricanes on the coast. Sources of sand for that purpose are commonly from borrow areas located just offshore of the nourishment site. Impacts of these nearshore dredge pits on adjacent coasts will depend on incident wave conditions, nourishment sediment characteristics and some features of the borrow pit (distance from the shore, depth of cut, cross-shore extent, alongshore extent and orientation - Bender & Dean, 2003; Benedet & List, 2008). The practical goal of the current study was to mitigate for the negative potential effects by discovering the less impactful design of dredge pit geometries on the Borrow Area S1 in Bay County-FL. Five different cut widths and excavation depths within the permitted limits were herein evaluated. Evaluation of morphological impacts on adjacent beaches was carried with the processed-based morphodynamic model Delft3D, calibrated and simulated for a period of 13 years. Results were evaluated in terms of beach volume changes compared against a baseline simulation (no action).Switching from Alternative 1 (6,260,000 m³) to Alternative 2 (5,380,000 m³) does not result in a substantial reduction of the borrow area’s projected impact. The cut depth is still deep, and the surface area is unchanged. Alternative 3 (3,555,000 m³) is able to provide more substantial reductions in the borrow area’s impact. By reducing the acreage of the borrow area and switching to a uniform cut depth, the projected impact of the borrow area decreases 39% for 1.56 km along the downdrift beach. Under Alternatives 4 (3,060,000 m³) and 5 (2,755,000 m³), the impacts of the borrow area are projected to be less than 3.75 m³/m/yr. While both alternatives are viable, Alternative 5 minimizes potential impacts, and has a uniform cut depth and a volume that still satisfies the project’s requirements. Given these considerations, Alternative 5 is the preferred alternative. Additionally, all the alternatives increase the net-accretion along 6.5 km of Shell Island between 0.25 to 1 m³/lm/yr., a valuable side effect in a region with high net erosion. By conducting various simulations an optimal borrow area design has been identified that reduces its effects on the adjacent beaches.

Since 1973, Delray Beach, located on the southeast coast of Florida, U.S.A, has been periodically nourished. The morphological evolution of these nourishments has been influenced by design aspects (e.g., changes in shoreline orientation), extreme events (hurricanes, northeastern storms), and dredging of offshore borrow areas created to provide the nourishment sediments. This paper describes a thorough analysis of the physical processes influencing nourishment performance using the process-based model Delft3D. The analysis distinguishes three steps: (1) a wave analysis, (2) a hydrodynamic analysis, and (3) a morphological analysis. The wave analysis shows that the oldest, deeper, borrow pits (dredged in 1973 and 1978) have the largest effect on the nearshore wave climate, while the effects of the reefs can be considered negligible. Results from the hydrodynamic analysis indicate that differences in wave height cause variations in alongshore current velocities related to differences in wave setup a...