Application of Empirical Wave Run-Up Formulas to the Polish Baltic Sea Coast

Abstract

Advanced, multidimensional models are typically applied when researching processes occurring in the nearshore. Relatively simple, empirical equations are commonly used in coastal engineering practice in order to estimate extreme wave run-up on beaches and coastal structures. However, they were mostly calibrated to the characteristics of oceanic coasts, which have different wave regime than a semi-enclosed basin like the Baltic Sea. In this paper we apply the formulas to the Polish Baltic Sea coast. The equations were adjusted to match local conditions in two test sites in Międzyzdroje and Dziwnówek, where beaches are under continuous video surveillance. Data from WAM wave model and coastal gauge stations were used, as well as precise measurements of the beaches' cross-sections. More than 600 run-up events spanning from June to December 2013 were analysed, including surges causing dune erosion. Extreme wave run-up R2% was calculated and presented as a percentage value indicating what part of the beach was inundated. The method had a root-mean-square error of 6.1 and 6.5 percentage points depending on the test site. We consider it is a fast and computationally undemanding alternative to morphodynamic models. It will constitute a part of the SatBałtyk Operating System-Shores, delivering forecasts of wave run-up on the beaches for the entire Polish coastline.

Monitoring Cliff Erosion with LiDAR Surveys and Bayesian Network-based Data Analysis

“…During the monitoring period, the sediment budget was definitely negative with a total loss of 49,330 m3. Erosion was most significant on the cliffs (over 58,000 m 3 ), while a positive budget was observed on the beaches, with a value slightly exceeding 9000 m 3 . This positive balance shows that not all of the cliffs' material was swept into the sea, but some of it remained on the beaches.…”

“…Soft cliff coasts experience storms strongly, and they can retreat relatively fast. However, most monitoring systems, analyses, and models have been implemented along dune coasts [2][3][4][5][6], largely because of the technical difficulties in registering the morphological changes on cliff coasts. Despite such difficulties, mainly connected with accessibility of high cliffs, the factors influencing cliff erosion have been investigated through quantitative numerical methods.…”

A New Adaptive Image Interpolation Method to Define the Shoreline at Sub-Pixel Level

“…Deng et al [5] elaborated a quantitative model to study coastal morphogenesis, including the reconstruction of the geological past and projection to future of the Southern Baltic Sea coast. Another coastal modelling example is found in [6], where equations were adjusted to match local conditions in two test sites under continuous video surveillance, in the Polish Baltic Sea coast. A physics-based public-domain model has been developed in [7] to assess the natural coastal response during time-varying storm and hurricane conditions, which has been validated with a series of analytical, laboratory and field test cases.…”

Morphological changes in the beach-foredune system caused by a series of storms. Terrestrial laser scanning evaluation

“…Washout of the composing material changes their morphology, which boosts various processes [Harley et al, 2016;Labuz, 2014;Sigren et al, 2014;Weymer et al, 2015]. The method of terrestrial laser scanning allows us to create a three-dimensional model of the complex relief, which, when compared, provides the basis for assessing the dynamics [Brizi et al, 2015;Montreuil et al, 2004;Szulwic et al, 2015;Volkova et al, 2018]. While the monitoring on the territory of the Curonian Spit on the Baltic Sea was carried out, terrestrial laser scanning was used to assess the condition before and after a series of storm events, which makes it possible to calculate the amount of loss and accumulation of sandy material that occurred as a result of the storm impact, as well as redistribution due to activated gravitational processes.…”