Beach Erosion Study, Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base Virginia.
Abstract
A knowledge of shoreline instability, and the rate and direction of littoral transport of sediment is a prerequisite to the planning and design of a shore protection work. In order to construct a system of groins on the eroding Naval Base beaches at Little Creek, Va., pertinent information was obtained on wave climatology, tidal currents, and the history of shoreline changes derived from aerial photographs of the area taken in 1949, 1958, 1971 and 1974. Assuming a symmetrical tidal flow with a zero net sediment transport in the littoral zone, analysis of wave climatological data yields littoral drift rates of 74,500 cu yds/yr moving from east to west, 38,500 cu yds/yr moving from west to east, and a net rate of 36,000 cy yds/yr moving from east to west along the Naval Base beaches. Computations show that maximum longshore current velocities within the surf zone could reach 2.4 ft/sec and 2.0 ft/sec for waves from east and northwest, respectively. Erosion-deposition patterns behind the groins substantiate the east to west direction of net littoral transport computed from wave energy flux considerations. The erosion and deposition rates behind groins also compare reasonably well with the computed rates of longshore transport. In view of the presence of the much longer jetties at the deep entrance channel to Little Creek harbor, the shorter groins on the Naval Base beaches may have little effect on civilian beaches on the down drift side. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1974
- Accession Number
- ADA085928
Entities
People
- Madan Mohan Das
Organizations
- Naval Oceanographic Office