Building with nature: Aeolian sediment input to engineered dunes: Final Report: Brilliant Marine Research Idea 2021
Strypsteen, G. (2022). Building with nature: Aeolian sediment input to engineered dunes: Final Report: Brilliant Marine Research Idea 2021. KU Leuven (Campus Brugge): Brugge. 6 pp.
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Document type: Final report
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| Abstract |
Observations of aeolian sediment transport in coastal areas have largely focused on short-term experiments because of limitations imposed by instrumentation. This research uses a unique case study of the 120x20m² dune-in-front-of-a-dike pilot site in Oosteroever, Oostende, Belgium, to analyze how frequently and with which magnitude aeolian transport occurs at the beach over a complete year of measurements by using continuous records of wind from an erected monitoring station and weekly topographic RTK-GPS measurements and monthly high-resolution drone surveys. The type of measurements described here has been specifically designed to acquire information on the dynamics of the beach and dune at high spatial and temporal resolution during long periods of time. The analysis of a set of 12 months at an hourly basis shows that the combined effect of both an appropriate wind speed and angle of wind approach for potential aeolian transport towards the dune is less than one-fifth of the year. Transport rates varied between 0 and 300 kg m-1 h-1 with the majority below 100 kg m-1 h-1 for moderate wind speeds between 8 and 10 m s-1. The results show a significant dune growth of about 14 m³ m-1 or 1 m in vertical direction in the pilot site which is encouraging for coastal protection. The planted marram grass proves to be a good and resilient mitigation measure to keep the sand on the beach. However, long-term dune growth is influenced by supply limitations, vegetation characteristics, and sediment erosion by wind and storm events. |
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