TY - JOUR
T1 - Wave, flow, and suspended sediment dynamics under strong winds on a tidal beach
AU - Meng, Lingpeng
AU - Tu, Junbiao
AU - Wu, Xiaodong
AU - Lou, Sha
AU - Cheng, Jun
AU - Chalov, Sergey
AU - Han, Xiangju
AU - Fan, Daidu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Tidal beaches are shaped by intense wave-current interactions, leading to dynamic sediment erosion and accretion, which can be further complicated by strong winds. In this study, field observations were conducted on a tidal beach at the junction of Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay (China), to investigate the dynamics of wave, flow, and suspended sediment under strong winds. Observations were carried out synchronously at two sites on the middle and lower intertidal beach covering 4 semidiurnal tides (52 h) including a ∼20 h-long strong wind period. During the strong wind period, wave motions and flood currents were significantly enhanced, leading to a high combined wave-current bed shear stress (τcw). The wave-induced bed shear stress (τw) greatly exceeded current-induced bed shear stress (τc). Breaking waves generated turbulence at the surface and amplified the near-bed turbulent Reynolds stress (−u′w′‾ and −v′w′‾) at the shallow, middle intertidal beach. The intense hydrodynamics and turbulence kept sediments in suspension and hindered any settling, resulting in net erosion of the intertidal beach. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex interplay among waves, currents, and sediment dynamics under short-duration strong winds on tidal beaches. A key emphasis is placed on the significant role of breaking waves, underscoring the critical importance of their contribution to near-bed turbulence.
AB - Tidal beaches are shaped by intense wave-current interactions, leading to dynamic sediment erosion and accretion, which can be further complicated by strong winds. In this study, field observations were conducted on a tidal beach at the junction of Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay (China), to investigate the dynamics of wave, flow, and suspended sediment under strong winds. Observations were carried out synchronously at two sites on the middle and lower intertidal beach covering 4 semidiurnal tides (52 h) including a ∼20 h-long strong wind period. During the strong wind period, wave motions and flood currents were significantly enhanced, leading to a high combined wave-current bed shear stress (τcw). The wave-induced bed shear stress (τw) greatly exceeded current-induced bed shear stress (τc). Breaking waves generated turbulence at the surface and amplified the near-bed turbulent Reynolds stress (−u′w′‾ and −v′w′‾) at the shallow, middle intertidal beach. The intense hydrodynamics and turbulence kept sediments in suspension and hindered any settling, resulting in net erosion of the intertidal beach. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex interplay among waves, currents, and sediment dynamics under short-duration strong winds on tidal beaches. A key emphasis is placed on the significant role of breaking waves, underscoring the critical importance of their contribution to near-bed turbulence.
KW - Bed shear stress
KW - meso-Tidal beach
KW - Sediment dynamics
KW - Wave breaking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85193827976&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108799
DO - 10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108799
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85193827976
SN - 0272-7714
VL - 303
JO - Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
JF - Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
M1 - 108799
ER -