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Hydrodynamic and sediment dynamic modifications of tidal flow in the near-field area of offshore breakwaters

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Abstract

Numerical modeling was used in order to study the effect of tidal currents within a breakwater scheme that has reached morphodynamic equilibrium. Tidal flow is simulated, using a downscaling procedure from a regional numerical model, in order to investigate the small-scale hydrodynamic modifications caused by the structures in the absence of waves. Sediment transport processes at different stages of the neap and spring tidal cycle are also considered over the entire scheme. Significant modifications to the tidal currents were identified, caused by the presence of the following structures: (1) obstruction of the main tidal flow and (2) flow channelization between the structures and the coastline, leading to flow acceleration over the salients. Furthermore, the effect of the modified tidal regime on bedload sediment transport processes was investigated. The design characteristics of the scheme (i.e., gap width, offshore distance, and relative angle with respect to the tidal currents) are found to influence locally the tidal flow and the bedload transport, over the top of the salients, modulating their growth. Despite being located in a mixed-energy, wave-dominated environment, the shear stress ratio between currents and waves show a dominance of tidal processes at the sheltered areas of the scheme (i.e., behind the breakwaters) that diminishes as the incident wave period increases. Hence, in order to correctly predict the morphological evolution of such coast under the influence of coastal protection schemes, the tidal processes have to be studied in addition to the wave processes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank ABPmer for providing the numerical modeling facilities, as well as Isabel Garcia-Hermosa, Paul Norton, and John Harris for their help in some parts of the study. Thanks are due also to Roger Spencer (Arun District Council) for providing the bathymetric data and background information on the Elmer scheme. This study was undertaken within the framework of the European Union project EVK3-CT-2000-41, Environmental DEsign of LOw-crested coastal defence Structures (DELOS). One of the authors (TAP) was also supported by the research group RNM-328 of the Plan Andaluz de Investigación (PAI). The manuscript was finalised when one of the authors (MBC) was in receipt of an IKERBASQUE (Basque Foundation for Science) Fellowship. The authors greatly acknowledge the comments of the two anonymous referees that led to the substantial improvement of the original manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK

    Theocharis A. Plomaritis & Michael B. Collins

  2. Earth Science Department, Faculty of Marine Science and Environment, University of Cadiz, Campus Rio San Pedro S/N, 11510, Puerto Real, Spain

    Theocharis A. Plomaritis

  3. PiE (Plentziako Itsas Estazioa), University of the Basque Country (UPV), Areatza,z/g E , 48620, Plentzia-Bizkaia, Spain

    Michael B. Collins

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  1. Theocharis A. Plomaritis
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  2. Michael B. Collins
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Correspondence to Theocharis A. Plomaritis.

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Responsible Editor: Mohamed Iskandarani

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Multi-scale modelling of coastal, shelf and global ocean dynamics

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Plomaritis, T.A., Collins, M.B. Hydrodynamic and sediment dynamic modifications of tidal flow in the near-field area of offshore breakwaters. Ocean Dynamics 63, 225–241 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-013-0592-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-013-0592-6

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