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A methodological framework for selecting an optimal sediment source within a littoral cell.
Vicente Gracia1, Joan Pau Sierra1, Alberto Caballero2
1Laboratori d'Enginyeria Marítima, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Mòdul D1, Campus Nord, 08034, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Centre Internacional d'Investigació dels Recursos Costaners (CIIRC), Jordi Girona 1-3, Mòdul D1, Campus Nord, 08034, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Beach nourishment is a common coastal erosion solution, but often fails due to unsuitable sediment. This study presents a framework to improve beach nourishment success by identifying optimal sediment sources and analyzing impacts using numerical models.
Area of Science:
- Coastal Engineering
- Marine Geology
- Environmental Management
Background:
- Beach nourishment is a widely used coastal protection method, preferred over rigid structures due to fewer environmental impacts.
- However, the effectiveness of beach nourishment is often compromised by the selection of unsuitable sediments, leading to frequent project failures and refills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a methodological framework designed to enhance the success rate of beach nourishment projects.
- The framework aims to optimize sediment sourcing and minimize negative impacts on borrow areas.
Main Methods:
- Shoreline evolution analysis to identify accretive borrowing areas.
- Definition and evaluation of sand extraction alternatives.
- Hydro-morphodynamic numerical modeling to simulate beach response (erosion and flooding) to different extraction scenarios.
Main Results:
- The methodology successfully identified optimal borrowing areas and sand extraction alternatives for a case study on the Catalan coast.
- Numerical models predicted the beach response to various extraction scenarios, enabling the selection of the least impactful option.
Conclusions:
- The proposed framework provides a robust tool for coastal managers to improve the efficiency and success of beach nourishment projects.
- Optimizing sediment sourcing and extraction strategies is crucial for sustainable coastal management and resource optimization.
