Sediment Exchange in Tidal Inlets

Sediment exchange characteristics of tidal inlets subjected to tidal excitations are investigated and the results compared to field data measured at Jupiter Inlet, Florida. A specially written computer program combines inlet/nearshore hydrodynamic expressions with bed-load and suspended load sediment transport relationships to examine the building mechanisms of the near-shore tidal ebb shoal. The ebb tidal flow is modeled as a turbulent, plane jet which includes lateral mixing and entrainment, bottom friction, and offshore bathymetric changes. Flood tidal flow is modeled as a potential flow sink with the water being drawn into the inlet from one or more dominant offshore areas depending on the offshore bottom slope. Sediment transport expressions are evaluated at various locations within the offshore flow field and the sediment deposition depth is calculated at that location over one tidal cycle. Model results are plotted and compared to field data for analysis