Modelling dune erosion, overwash and inundation of barrier islands

Physical model experiments are performed at Deltares to investigate the morphological response of barrier islands on extreme storm events. The experiments included dune erosion, overwash and inundation regimes. Extensive measurement techniques made detailed comparison with numerical models possible. This paper describes the comparison between the physical model results and the numerical morphodynamic model XBeach. It appeared that XBeach simulates the main characteristics in hydro- and morphodynamics at profiles with shallow foreshores, which are characteristic for barrier islands, well. However, the absolute results of especially the overwash experiments still do not agree with the measurements. It is expected that several generic issues regarding small-scale physical model experiments are of influence here. Nevertheless, calibration of the XBeach model seems to be necessary for shallow profiles. Especially the calibration of the wave characteristics on the shallow foreshore, related to the morphodynamics is far from trivial.Hydraulic EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience