1979) or the crenulate bay (Silvester 1970). Dean and Maurmeyer (1977) examined an erosion spot
inside Shinnecock Inlet, N.Y., and concluded waves, not currents, were the causative agent. Walton
(1977) produced an analytic method relating wave-height energy distribution to predict stable
sheltered shoreline. Moreno and Kraus (1999) developed a hyperbolic-tangent function to fit these
shoreline shapes.
These erosion processes occur on the open coast, and wave diffraction and refraction create the
crenulate shape. Eventually, an equilibrium shape is achieved for a given wave condition or
dominant wave condition. This equilibrium shape implies that the shoreline reaches a stable shape
and erosion ceases. The inner bank of an inlet is more easily exposed to the potential of erosion by
tidal or riverine currents and short period wind waves and/or boat-generated waves. There is some
question as to the dominant process and mechanisms causing inner bank erosion. Laboratory
experiments were conducted to determine how the inner-bank shoreline responds to these processes.
LABORATORY STUDY OF INNER-BANK EROSION
Laboratory Setup. A coastal inlet was designed within a 46 m wide by 99 m long concrete basin
with 0.6 m high walls (Figure 4). The approach was to design an idealized inlet with simplified
.
Figure 4. Coastal Inlet Research Program laboratory and model facility.
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