Controlled laboratory measurements of dune erosion under variable waves, water levels and dune pore-moisture

Controlled laboratory wave flume experiments of dune erosion can assist researchers to explore the physical processes of dune erosion and improve numerical predictive models. This paper presents a dataset of controlled laboratory measurements of unvegetated dune erosion under vary waves, water levels, and initial dune moisture contents. Three different water levels in the wave flume, two irregular wave conditions, and three initial dune pore-moisture contents were explored. In total, twenty-nine (29) tests were conducted in a 36 m long by 1.6 m high and 0.9 m wide wave flume. Bathymetry, dune morphology, offshore and onshore wave conditions, wave runup, water table and volumetric water content data within the dune were recorded across all tests, as well as video footage for qualitative purposes. This combined dataset can be used to: (1) explore nearshore morphodynamic processes under varied forcing conditions, (2) elucidate dune face erosion and failure mechanisms tying the observed erosion to internal groundwater dynamics and external wave and water level forcing, and (3) validate numerical models of dune erosion processes.