A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Simulating surface soil moisture on sandy beaches
Abstract A model that simulates surface moisture content on sandy beaches for aeolian transport applications is developed and integrated into the aeolian transport model AeoLiS. The moisture content of a thin surface layer (≈2 mm thickness) is computed as a function of wave runup, precipitation, evaporation, percolation, and capillary rise from the groundwater table. The groundwater table is simulated using a modified Boussinesq equation accounting for the overheight due to wave runup. The surface moisture due to capillary rise is simulated with an experimentally determined soil water retention (SWR) curve of the “van Genuchten” type. Hysteresis is accounted for by differentiating between SWR curves for drying and wetting conditions. The model is tested against a data set of 221 point observations of surface moisture from Noordwijk beach in the Netherlands. The measured surface moisture within the study area displays large spatial and temporal variability. The model results display an expected cross-shore gradient of moisture content, but also a large scatter when compared to the data. The scatter may partly be explained by local variability of hydraulic properties that are not accounted for within the model. Despite the scatter, the proposed surface moisture model is a starting point to integrate the transport limiting effect of surface moisture into meso-scale aeolian transport models. To facilitate model setup and the use of this surface moisture model, the soil water retention data from 10 beaches with variable grain size characteristics are provided in this study. Future studies may focus on additional model validation against data sets with variable meteorological conditions and simultaneous moisture and aeolian transport observations.
Highlights New model for simulation of surface moisture on sandy beaches. Case study with surface moisture observations from the upper 2 mm of the beach. Soil water retention data from 10 beaches with variable grain size characteristics.
Simulating surface soil moisture on sandy beaches
Abstract A model that simulates surface moisture content on sandy beaches for aeolian transport applications is developed and integrated into the aeolian transport model AeoLiS. The moisture content of a thin surface layer (≈2 mm thickness) is computed as a function of wave runup, precipitation, evaporation, percolation, and capillary rise from the groundwater table. The groundwater table is simulated using a modified Boussinesq equation accounting for the overheight due to wave runup. The surface moisture due to capillary rise is simulated with an experimentally determined soil water retention (SWR) curve of the “van Genuchten” type. Hysteresis is accounted for by differentiating between SWR curves for drying and wetting conditions. The model is tested against a data set of 221 point observations of surface moisture from Noordwijk beach in the Netherlands. The measured surface moisture within the study area displays large spatial and temporal variability. The model results display an expected cross-shore gradient of moisture content, but also a large scatter when compared to the data. The scatter may partly be explained by local variability of hydraulic properties that are not accounted for within the model. Despite the scatter, the proposed surface moisture model is a starting point to integrate the transport limiting effect of surface moisture into meso-scale aeolian transport models. To facilitate model setup and the use of this surface moisture model, the soil water retention data from 10 beaches with variable grain size characteristics are provided in this study. Future studies may focus on additional model validation against data sets with variable meteorological conditions and simultaneous moisture and aeolian transport observations.
Highlights New model for simulation of surface moisture on sandy beaches. Case study with surface moisture observations from the upper 2 mm of the beach. Soil water retention data from 10 beaches with variable grain size characteristics.
Simulating surface soil moisture on sandy beaches
Hallin, Caroline (author) / IJzendoorn, Christa van (author) / Homberger, Jan-Markus (author) / de Vries, Sierd (author)
Coastal Engineering ; 185
2023-07-28
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
| Engineering Index Backfile | 1940
Impact of groins on sandy beaches
| TIBKAT | 1995
Construction of Ports on Sandy Beaches
Engineering Index Backfile | 1909
Discussion on the Preservation of Sandy Beaches
| ASCE | 2021
Closure to the Preservation of Sandy Beaches
| ASCE | 2021