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1976)
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Static Bay Beach Concept for Coastal Management and Protection

John R.C. Hsu
Honorary Chair Professor
National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan

Seminar on Coastal and Hydraulic Engineering

th

ABSTRACT

Date & Time: Thursday, 7 , June, 13:30 15:30

Headland-bay beaches have existed naturally by the edge of the world oceans. They can
Place: S1-512 Meeting Room

be created artificially or unwittingly at downdrift of man-made harbors and groins, as well as

between
detached
breakwaters.
Among these
sandy beaches,
those
in static equilibrium are
Static Bay
Beach
Concept
for Coastal
Management
and
Protection
the only physiographic features that could remain stable without sediment supply in a
persistent swell environment around the world. In Japan and elsewhere, many bay beaches

Prof. John R.C. Hsu

can be found (e.g., on Google Earth). Moreover, some bay beaches may be classified as in
Honorary Chair Professor
dynamic equilibrium or unstable, while others are close to static or in static equilibrium.
National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
With a continuing trend of erosion to sandy beaches worldwide, a conservative and prudent
Honorary Research Fellow, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining
hypothesis is not to consider the mobile dynamic wave parameters but a scenario of
Eng., University of Western Australia
vanishing supply to a beach in the future, for which the static bay beach concept is

Environmental
and Mining Eng.,
ABSTRACT recommended for practical applications, rather
the
conventional
countermeasures
Headland-bayrelying
beacheson
have
existed
naturally by
the edge of the

that
system artificially
of groinsor or
detached
world oceans.
They utilize
can be created
unwittingly
at
Yat-sen University
(Taiwan)

downdrift of man-made
harbors
and groins,
as well
as between
breakwaters
only without
artificial
nourishment.
detached breakwaters.
sandy(Klein
beaches,
in
WithAmong
softwarethese
MEPBAY
et al.,those
2003),
static equilibrium
are thebay
only
physiographic
features that
the static
shape
equation developed
bycould
Hsu

remain stable without sediment supply in a persistent swell

and Evans (1989) is readily applicable to a wide
environment around the world. In Japan and elsewhere, many bay beaches can be found (e.g., on
range of scenarios of headland-bay beaches in natural or man-made condition. For example,
Google Earth). Moreover, some bay beaches may be classified as in dynamic equilibrium or
it includes preliminary assessment of bay beach stability and beach design incorporating
mental Engineering
unstable, while others are close to static or in static equilibrium. With a continuing trend of erosion
headlands and nourishment. For regions receiving frequent storm wave attacks, sufficient
to sandy beaches worldwide, a conservative and prudent hypothesis is not to consider the mobile
bufferbut
should
also of
bevanishing
considered.
Thisto new
procedure
is robust
and the
is strongly
dynamic wavebeach
parameters
a scenario
supply
a beach
in the future,
for which
recommended
environmental for
impact
assessment
and coastal
management,
well as for
static bay beach
concept isforrecommended
practical
applications,
rather
relying onasthe
shore protection that
and utilize
the design
of recreational
taken
from
many places,
conventional countermeasures
system
of groins orbeaches.
detachedExamples
breakwaters
only
without

artificial nourishment.
software
MEPBAY
et al.,in2003),
the static bay shape equation
includingWith
Japanese
mainland,
will be(Klein
discussed
the seminar.

by Hsu and Evans (1989) is readily applicable to a wide range of scenarios of

; Hydraulicdeveloped
Eng.)
headland-bay
Water Resources
Eng.) beaches in natural or man-made condition. For example, it includes preliminary
neering: Coastal
Eng.)of bay beach stability and beach design incorporating headlands and nourishment. For
assessment
982)
regions receiving frequent storm wave attacks, sufficient beach buffer should also be considered.
within top 260). (April 2013)
This new procedure is robust and is strongly recommended for environmental impact assessment
and coastal management, as well as for shore protection and the design of recreational beaches.

ce June 1996)
Examples taken from many places, including Japanese mainland, will be discussed in the seminar.
of Civil Engineers/Singapore:

ation and Research Foundation