Cross-shore mud transport and beach deformation model

The present study aims to simulate the various features of wave-mud interaction on fine-grained shore profiles including wave height attenuation, wave-induced mud mass transport, gravity-driven flow of fluid mud and the reconfiguration of profile shape. A two-dimensional mud beach deformation model is presented considering the transport of fluid mud under continued wave action and downward gravity force. The wave height transformation is computed from the energy flux conservation law combining the effects of mud bed, shoaling and wave breaking. The rheological constitutive equations of visco-elastic-plastic model (Shibayama et al., 1990) are selected for numerical simulation. Wave flume experiments are carried out and the results are utilized for the verification of numerical model. The results of the numerical model are also compared with the laboratory data of Nakano (1994). It is concluded that the model is capable to predict the observed phenomena.