WAVE OVERWASH OF VEGETATED DUNES
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Keywords

vegetation
wave overtopping
dune
erosion
overwash
sediment transport

How to Cite

Gralher, C., Kobayashi, N., & Do, K. (2012). WAVE OVERWASH OF VEGETATED DUNES. Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 1(33), sediment.34. https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v33.sediment.34

Abstract

Sand dunes play a significant role during coastal storms by absorbing the impacts of storm surge and high waves. Therefore, rapid profile changes and destruction of sand dunes, which may be caused by wave-induced overwash, lead to an increased flood risk landward of dunes. The effects of vegetation on dune erosion and overwash during storm events, however, have never been studied. This study is based on a laboratory experiment investigating the effects of woody plants on dune erosion and overwash of high and low dunes. During the five tests conducted foredune scarping was observed for the three high dune tests but did not occur for the two low dune tests. A narrow vegetation placed on the steep backdune of the high dune did not reduce wave overtopping and sand overwash. However, the wide vegetation figuration, which covered the backdune and foredune, reduced foredune scarping, prevented wave overtopping initially and reduced sand overwash after the initiation of wave overtopping for the high dune. It also slowed down the erosion process of the low dune significantly by retarding wave uprush and reducing wave overtopping and overwash.
https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v33.sediment.34
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References

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Authors retain copyright and grant the Proceedings right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this Proceedings.