CROSS-SHORE VARIATIONS IN SEDIMENT STRENGTH AT A SANDY BEACH

Abstract

The potential for erosion and accretion of coastal sediments is governed by local hydrodynamics and sediment characteristics. These factors are highly spatially and temporally variable and strongly interact in the surf zone. It is known that for any change in the wave load, the system quickly seeks and adopts a new state of equilibrium. It follows that the understanding of the interactions between hydrodynamics and sediment properties is crucial for beach engineering. Particularly, there seems to be a lack of knowledge regarding the role of geotechnical sediment properties. The research goal of this study is to characterize the cross-shore variation of sediment strength across a sandy, erosive beach on the island of Sylt, Germany.