Beach Modelling Tools: Lessons Learned from Performance Analysis of Beach Schemes

Beach models have been used extensively over the last quarter of a century to design beach schemes for coastal defence, but rarely has the original work been revisited to compare directly with actual beach behaviour in order to review the suitability and accuracy of the initial modelling used to inform the design.

The work described in this paper was the undertaking of a comparative analysis between predicted and actual beach performance for eleven previously constructed schemes to help improve understanding in this area, identify potential improvements in approach, and consequently lead to more informed decision making in the use of models and tools for beach scheme design and management in the future. Schemes were selected that encompassed a range of model applications and beach settings.