Dynamic Analysis of Beach Renourishment

This project attempts to develop a spreadsheet model that analyzes the dynamic evolution of a beach renourishment project to various natural forces. Beach nourishment is a non-structural alternative used to control coastal erosion. It provides additional sand to an area so that the beach may continue to act as a storm energy absorption area that protects the property behind it from storm-induced wave attack. Because beach nourishment is not a solid structure, it reacts to the environmental forces placed on it. This project develops a probabilistic model that takes into account the following forces background erosion that removes sand from the system, longshore diffusion or spreading of the project, and storm- induced erosion. Because the beach system is constantly eroding and changing, it is necessary to periodically renourish a project. This in effect returns the project to its original dimensions so that storm protection will not be lost. The dynamic model has been developed so that it can determine the renourishment interval necessary for a project. The results from this dynamic model can then be compared to the traditional static method used by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to analyze the accuracy of present designs.