Abstract
The morphodynamic evolution of an idealized inlet system is investigated using a 2-D depth-averaged process-based model, incorporating the hydrodynamic equations, Englund-Hansen’s sediment transport formula and the mass conservation equation. The model has a fixed geometry, impermeable boundaries and uniform sediment grain size, and driven by shore-parallel tidal elevations. The results show that the model reproduces major elements of the inlet system, i.e., flood and ebb tidal deltas, inlet channel. Equilibrium is reached after several years when the residual transport gradually decreases and eventually diminishes. At equilibrium, the flow field characteristics and morphological patterns agree with the schematized models proposed by O’Brien (1969) and Hayes (1980). The modeled minimum cross-sectional entrance area of the tidal inlet system is comparable with that calculated with the statistical P-A relationship for tidal inlets along the East China Sea coast. The morphological evolution of the inlet system is controlled by a negative feedback between hydrodynamics, sediment transport and bathymetric changes. The evolution rates decrease exponentially with time, i.e., the system develops rapidly at an early stage while it slows down at later stages. Temporal changes in hydrodynamics occur in the system; for example, the flood velocity decreases while its duration increases, which weakens the flood domination patterns. The formation of the multi-channel system in the tidal basin can be divided into two stages; at the first stage the flood delta is formed and the water depth is reduced, and at the second stage the flood is dissected by a number of tidal channels in which the water depth increases in response to tidal scour.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bertin X, Chaumillon E, Weber N. 2004. Morphological evolution and time-varying bedrock control of main channel at a mixed energy tidal inlet: Maumusson inlet, France. Marine Geology, 204: 187–202
Bruun P. 1978. Stability of tidal inlets-theory and engineering. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 507
De Vriend H J, Capobianco M, Chesher T, et al. 1993. Approaches to long-term modeling of coastal morphology: a review. Coastal Engineering, 21: 225–269
ECCHE (Editorial Committee for Chinese Harbors and Embayments). 1992. Chinese Harbours and Embayments (Part V) (in Chinese). Beijing: China Ocean Press
Eguiluz A, Wong K C. 2005. Second order tidally induced flow in the inlet of a coastal lagoon. Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Science, 64: 509–518
Englund F, Hansen E A. 1967. Monograph on sediment transport in alluvial streams. Copenhagen: Teknisk Forlag, 1–62
FiztGerald D M, Buynevich I V, Davis R A Jr, et al. 2002. New England tidal inlets with special reference to riverine-associated inlet system. Geomorphology, 48: 179–208
Fletcher C A. 1988. Computational techniques for fluid dynamics. Berlin: Springer
Gao Shu. 1988. P-A relationships of tidal inlets along the East China Sea coast. Marine Science (in Chinese), (1): 15–19
Gao Shu, Collins M B. 1994. Tidal inlet stability in response to hydrodynamic and sediment dynamic conditions. Coastal Engineering, 23: 61–80
Gao Shu, Collins M B. 1998. Equilibrium coastal pro-files: I. Review and synthesis. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 16(2): 97–107
Gao Jianhua, Gao Shu, Chen Peng, et al. 2002. Longshore sediment transport along the coast of Boao Harbour, Hainan Island, China. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology (in Chinese), 22(2): 41–48
Gong Wenping, Shen Jian, Jia Jianjun. 2009. Feedback between tidal hydrodynamics and morphological changes induced by natural process and human interventions in a wave-dominated tidal inlet: Xiaohai, Hainan, China. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 28(3): 93–113
Gong Wenping, Shen Jian, Wang Daoru. 2008. Mean water level setup/set down in the inlet-lagoon system induced by tidal action-a case study of Xincun Inlet, Hainan Island in China. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 27(5): 63–80
Guyondet T, Koutitonsky V G. 2008. Tidal and residual circulations in coupled restricted and leaky lagoons. Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Science, 77: 396–408
Hayes M O. 1975. Morphology and sand accumulation in estuaries. In: Cronin L E, ed. Estuarine Research. New York: Academic Press, 2: 183–200
Hayes M O. 1980. General morphology and sediment patterns in tidal inlets. Sedimentary Geology, 26: 139–156
Hibma A, Schuttelaars H M, De Vriend H J. 2004. Initial formation and long-term evolution of channel-shoal patterns. Continental Shelf Research, 24: 1637–1650
Jarret J T. 1976. Tidal prism-inlet relationships. GITI report no. 3. Coastal Engineering and Research Centre, US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Belvoir, VA
Jia Jianjun, Gao Shu. 2008. A sedimentological approach to P-A relationships for tidal inlet systems: an example from Yuehu Inlet, Shandong Peninsula, China. Frontiers of Earth Science in China, 2(3), 262–268
Jia Jianjun, Gao Shu, Xue Yunchuan. 2003. Sediment dynamics of small tidal inlets: An example from Yuehu inlet, Shandong Peninsula, China. Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Science, 57: 783–801
Kragtwijk N G, Zitman T J, Stive M J F, et al. 2004. Morphological response of tidal basins to human interventions. Coastal Engineering, 51: 207–221
Kraus N C. 1998. Inlet cross-sectional area calculated by process-based model. Coastal Engineering, 3265–3278
Lanzoni S, Seminara G. 2002. Long-term evolution and morphodynamic equilibrium of tidal channels. Journal of Geophysical Research, 107, C1, 10.1029/2000JC000468
Lesser G R, Roelvink J A, Van Kester J A, et al. 2004. Development and validation of a three-dimensional morphological model. Coastal Engineering, 51(8–9): 883–915
Li Chunyan. 2002. Axial convergence fronts in a barotropic tidal inlet sand shoal inlet, VA. Continental Shelf Research, 22: 2633–2653
O’Brien M P. 1931. Estuary tidal prism related to entrance areas. Civil Engineering, 1(8): 738–739
O’Brien M P. 1969. Equilibrium flow areas of inlets on sandy coasts. Journal of Water and Harbor Division, 95(WW1): 43–52
Ren Mei’E, Zhang Renshun. 1985. On tidal inlets of China. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 3: 423–432
Roelvink J A. 2006. Coastal morphodynamic evolution techniques. Coastal Engineering, 53: 277–287
Roelvink J A, Van Banning G K. 1994. Design and development of DELFT3D and application to coastal morphodynamics. In: Babovic & Maksimovic, ed. Hydroinformatics. Rotterdam: Balkema, 451–456
Stive M J F, Wang Zhengbing. 2003. Morphodynamic modeling of tidal basins and coastal inlets. In: Lakhan V C, ed. Advances in Coastal Modeling. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 367–392
Van der Vegt M, Schuttelaars H M, De Swart H E. 2006. Modeling the equilibrium of tide-dominated ebbtidal deltas. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111: F02013
Van der Vegt M, Schuttelaars H M, De Swart H E. 2009. The influence of tidal currents on the asymmetry of tide-dominated ebb-tidal deltas. Continental Shelf Research, 29(1): 159–174
Van der Wegen M, Roelvink J A. 2008. Long-term morphodynamic evolution of a tidal embayment using a two-dimensional, process-based model. Journal of Geophysical Research, 113: C03016
Van Leeuwen S M, De Swart H E. 2002. Intermediate modelling of tidal inlet systems: Spatial asymmetries in flow and mean sediment transport. Continental Shelf Research, 22: 1795–1810
Van Leeuwen S M, Van der Vegt M, De Swart H E. 2003. Morphodynamics of ebb-tidal deltas: a model approach. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 57: 899–907
Van Rijn L C. 1984. Sediment transport. Part II: Suspended load transport. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 110: 1613–1641
Van Rijn L C. 1993. Principles of Sediment Transport in Rivers, Estuaries and Coastal Seas. Amsterdam: Aqua Publications
Vila-Concejo A, Ferreira O, Matias A, et al. 2003. The first two years of an inlet: sedimentary dynamics. Continental Shelf Research, 23: 1425–1445
Walton T L, Adams W D. 1976. Capacity of inlet outer bars to store sand. Proceeding of 15th Coastal Engineering Conference, Honolulu, ASCE, New York, 1919–1937
Wang Zhengbing, Jeuken C, De Vriend H J. 1999. Tidal Asymmetry and Residual Sediment Transport in Estuaries. A Literature Study and Applications to the Western Scheldt, WL|Delft Hydraulics Report Z2749. Delft, the Netherlands
Wang Zhengbing, Louters T, de Vriend H J. 1995. Morphodynamic modeling of a tidal inlet in the Wadden sea. Marine Geology, 126: 289–300
Xie Dongfeng, Gao Shu, Wang Yaping. 2008. Morphodynamic modelling of open-sea tidal channels eroded into a sandy seabed, with reference to the channel systems on the China coast. Geo-Marine Letters, 28(4): 255–263
Xie Dongfeng, Wang Zhengbing, Gao Shu, et al. 2009. Modeling the tidal channel morphodynamics in a macro-tidal embayment, Hangzhou Bay, China. Continental Shelf Research, 29(15): 1757–1767
Zhang Qiaomin. 1987. On P-A relationships of tidal inlets along south China coast. Journal of Tropic Oceanography, 6(2): 10–18
Zhang Renshun. 1995a. Tidal prism-throat area relationships of tidal inlets along Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea coast. The Ocean Engineering (in Chinese), (2): 54–61
Zhang Renshun. 1995b. Development of tidal inlet in mud coast along Bohai Bay. Acta Geographica Sinica (in Chinese), 50(6): 506–513
Zhang Qiaomin, Chen Xinshu, Wang Wenjie, et al. 1995. Geomorphological evolution of the entrances of the sandbar-lagoon type tidal inlets along the southern China coastlines. Acta Oceanologica Sinica (in Chinese), 17(2): 69–77
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation item: The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41006053 and 40576023; the Ministry of Water Resources’ Special Funds for Scientific Research on Public Causes under contract No. 201001072; the Program for Innovative Research Team of Zhejiang Province under contract No. 2009F20024.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Xie, D., Gao, S. & Pan, C. Process-based modeling of morphodynamics of a tidal inlet system. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 29, 51–61 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-010-0076-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-010-0076-1