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WIND WAVES AND RIVER FLOW INFLUENCE ON GRANULOMETRIC COMPOSITION OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS IN THE COASTAL ZONE

K. I. Gurov

Abstract

The study of sediment transport in the coastal zone under the influence of waves and currents makes it possible to predict changes in the ecosystem of the coastal zone under various hydrometeorological conditions and anthropogenic influences. River runoff and abrasion processes are one of the main sources of solid matter entering the coastal zone, as well as one of the factors determining the changes in the granulometric composition of bottom sediments. Since the rivers of the Western Crimea are heavily regulated, the combined effect of wind waves and river flow has a significant influence on the formation of the fractional composition of bottom sediments. In the present work, a study of the dynamics of the bottom sediments granulometric composition in the coastal zone of the Crimean Peninsula near the mouth of the river Belbek using XBeach model were conducted. The XBeach model was applied in a 2D setting with a constant grid step 10 m. All calculations were carried out for a storm period of 24 h. A series of numerical experiments were conducted to study the mechanism of redistribution of sediments of different sizes under the influence of river runoff separately, as well as the combined effect of river runoff and wind waves of various directions and intensities. The wave period and the direction of the wave action, as well as flow rate were used as main input parameters, which changed in numerical experiments. As for coarse and medium-grained material, the distribution of the finely dispersed fraction differs significantly for the central part of the investigated area, primarily determined by the influence of river flow, and for the periphery where the influence of the river is less pronounced, and the greater effect is exerted exclusively by wind waves. In the work, some quantitative characteristics were obtained and the relationship between the influence of the bottom relief and hydrodynamic processes in the study water area on the dynamics of sand material of various sizes was investigated. It is shown that as the storm develops, the material begins to accumulate at lower values of the angle of inclination. There is also a relationship between the angle of inclination and the wave period.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/1.2/s02.097

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