Understanding the lowering of beaches in front of coastal defence structures, stage 2

This project aims to improve our understanding of toe scour at coastal defence structures and improve our ability to predict and lessen beach lowering.

Documents

Understanding the lowering of beaches in front of coastal defence structures, stage 2 - final report (80KB) PDF

Understanding the lowering of beaches in front of coastal defence structures, stage 2 - summary (40KB) PDF

Understanding the lowering of beaches in front of coastal defence structures, stage 2 - technical report (2.4MB) PDF

Technical Note 1: Beach lowering and recovery at Southbourne - project record (2.2MB) PDF

Technical note 2: Design of physical model scour tests - project record (1MB) PDF

Technical note 3: Assessment of beach lowering and toe scour - project record (1.4MB) PDF

Technical note 4: Scour monitor deployment at Blackpool - project record (7.2MB) PDF

Technical note 5: Integrating scour research into reliability analysis of coastal structures - project record (585KB) PDF

Technical note 6: Medium scale 2D physical model tests of scour at sea walls - project record (1.2MB) PDF

Technical note 7: Wave induced liquefaction in front of coastal structures - project record (686KB) PDF

Technical note 8: Mitigation methods - project record (5.3MB) PDF

Technical note 9: Improved predictors for wave-induced scour at seawalls - project record (1MB) PDF

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Details

Objectives

This project aims to improve our understanding of toe scour at coastal defence structures and improve our ability to predict and lessen beach lowering. Toe scour has been blamed for the failure of many coastal structures in the UK. Improving our understanding of toe scour and our ability to predict it can provide substantial benefits. This includes extending the life of defences and reducing the risk of their sudden failure.

The key objectives of this research are to:

  • merge existing information and approaches to predicting beach lowering and summarise the implications for beach monitoring
  • assess existing scour prediction methods and produce an improved method resulting in les uncertainty
  • provide information on mitigation schemes
  • assess liquefaction potential of the sediment in front of coastal structures

Outcomes

The outputs of this research will positively impact the design of new structures and the maintenance and remediation of existing ones. Research results will be used by designers and owners, such as local councils. The results will inform their approach to the design and monitoring of beach levels in front of coastal defences.

This project ran from 2005 to 2006 at a cost of £164,760.

Updates to this page

Published 17 February 2021