THE SHORT TERM PROFILE RESPONSE OF SHINGLE SPITS TO STORM WAVE ACTION

The profile performance and the conditions giving rise to overtopping and overwashing of shingle barrier beaches have been examined in an extensive programme of field work and physical model studies. The hydraulic performance of Hurst Spit, on the south coast of the UK, has been examined in detail, and the studies have been used to design a management programme for this barrier beach. This has included the design of a beach replenishment scheme and quantification of overtopping thresholds and alarm conditions, for a range of beach geometries. An extensive series of 3-dimensional physical model tests are discussed and a dimensionless parametric framework is suggested, which provides a method of estimating the conditions that will result in crest accumulation, breaching and crest lowering of shingle barrier beaches, for a wide range of beach geometries.