Low-energy sandy beaches of Southwestern Australia: two-dimensional morphology, sediments and dynamics

[Truncated abstract] The morphology of sandy beaches is the net result of sediment transport and deposition that is driven by a range of dynamic processes, including waves, tides, non-tidal sea level fluctuations, beach groundwater fluctuations and winds. Beaches continuously change their form in response to variation in the absolute and relative energies of the dynamic processes and their interaction with beach sediments. Previous research has focused on the morphology and dynamics of sandy beaches which were controlled by moderate to high wave and/or tidal energies. However, a large proportion of the world's coastlines experience a combination of both modally low wave-energies
and micro-tidal conditions. These circumstances may be found in a variety of sites
including sheltered ocean environments, inland seas, estuaries and lakes.
This thesis examines the range of beach types that form on micro-tidal sandy
beaches under conditions of very low wave energy. It extends previous nearshore
morphodynamic research. Field data were obtained from 51 surveys conducted on
beaches around the coast of Southwestern Australia; from Geraldton on the west to Cape Arid on the south coast. Wave energy at the shoreline of Southwestern Australia is generally low, but exhibits a high temporal and spatial variability. This gives rise to a wide range of nearshore environments and presents an ideal field environment for investigation of the morphodynamics of low-energy, micro-tidal sandy beaches in comparison with the forms associated with higher wave energy and/or tidal range.