Simulation of perched beach accretion using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Abstract

Yanchep Beach, located 60 km north of Perth in southwest Western Australia, is a perched beach lying on a shallow rock platform. The platform is fronted by a natural sea wall several meters high. Every summer, the perched beach widens significantly. This study evaluates the hydrodynamic conditions in front of the sea wall causing the widening of the beach using a Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic model. The SPH model shows the importance of the reflected wave in the timing of the wave breaking and the presence of a velocity pulse near the seawall. This suggests that the hydrodynamic conditions are capable of significant resuspension and transport of sand on the reef platform