SURF ZONE PROPERTIES AND ON/OFFSHORE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT

The surf zone properties and the on/offshore sediment transport rate were studied. A non-dimensional surf zone parameter was obtained by taking the ratio of natural swash period to wave period. This parameter, in addition to its wide application in describing the breaker types, was pertinent to describing the flow patterns in surf zone and defining the region of validity of the similarity solutions. A similarity model was applied to describe the flow field of breaking waves in surf zone. Laboratory results from other investigators and those obtained in the present study were used to test the validity of the proposed model. The results showed that if the wave was of the spilling type and in the region of I(,w) > 0.9 and d/d(,b) < 0.6, where I(,w) is the surf zone parameter defined as.;the similarity solution was suitable. A numerical model was presented to predict the on/offshore sediment transport rate. This model was based on a suspended load transport equation derived through the application of flow field and sediment suspension in surf zone. Due to limited knowledge of sediment suspension in surf zone, the present model is only able to predict the offshore transport rate. Several numerical simulations were made to compare with the laboratory results of the author's and other investigators'. Fair to good agreement was observed.;(DIAGRAM, TABLE OR GRAPHIC OMITTED...PLEASE SEE DAI).