Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/A/S/2003/00553
Cross-shore sediment transport and profile evolution on natural beaches (X-SHORE project).
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor P Russell, University of Plymouth, Sch of Earth Ocean and Environment
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor G Masselink, University of Plymouth, Sch of Biological and Marine Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr TJ O'Hare, University of Plymouth, Sch of Geog Earth & Environ Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Plymouth, Sch of Earth Ocean and Environment
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Marine
- Overall Classification:
- Marine
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Global Change
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Science Topics:
- Earth Surface Processes
- Land - Ocean Interactions
- Sediment/Sedimentary Processes
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- Pressures on the coastal zone are increasing due to climate change, with sea-level expected to rise by 0.5 m over the next century. In the UK, sea defences and shore protection works around 4,300 km of coast cost approximately #325 million per year to maintain, a figure that will continue to rise in the future. Natural beaches are the 'best' form of coastal protection, hence the popularity of beach nourishment (placing extra sand on the beach) as a management measure. However, our understanding of how beaches provide coastal protection is limited. It is well known that during storms, nearshore sand bars serve as natural submerged breakwaters and protect the beach from erosion. Coastal engineers and managers need to know more about how and under what conditions nearshore sand bars provide this natural protection. A crucial role is played by the cross-shore (on-offshore) exchange of sediment between the dry beach and the nearshore zone, and insight into this exchange is of vital importance to the understanding and modelling of beach systems. This study will contribute to this research area by undertaking unprecedented field experiments, data analysis and numerical modelling of cross-shore sediment transport processes and profile evolution on natural beaches. The principal aim of this research project is to improve our understanding of cross-shore sediment transport processes on planar (flat) and barred beaches. Two unprecedented data sets on cross-shore sediment transport will be collected from a plane beach (Sennen, Cornwall) and a barred beach (Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire) by burying small high-technology instruments into the beachface. These instruments will provide continuous measurements of waves, currents, sediment suspension and beach response. Using a novel modelling technique the data will be used to form 'shape functions' that are passed back and forth over the beach with changes in the tides and waves, so altering the shape of the beach profile and allowing the prediction of erosion and accretion events. The project is a collaboration between scientists from the Institute of Marine Sciences at Plymouth University and the Geography Department at Loughborough University.
- Period of Award:
- 1 Jul 2004 - 31 Mar 2008
- Value:
- £235,084 Lead Split Award
Authorised funds only
- NERC Reference:
- NER/A/S/2003/00553
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £235,084
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £19,967 | £100,317 | £14,526 | £37,569 | £62,706 |
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