Wave and Beach Processes Modeling for Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay, Texas, Shoreline Erosion Feasibility Study

摘要

This report describes the STWAVE/GENESIS modeling, the SBEACH modeling, and the related technical analysis that the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory has provided the U.S. Army Engineer District, Galveston, in support of their feasibility project: Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay, Texas Shoreline Erosion Feasibility Study. The main goal of this effort has been to set up and calibrate the numerical models so that they can provide a predictive capability that will be used to objectively evaluate alternative measures for beach restoration/protection projects within the study area. The predictive capabilities address both long-term performance, evaluated using GENESIS, and short-term storm-induced performance, evaluated using SBEACH. The setup of the GENESIS model proved to be particularly challenging. As had been found by previous researchers, the use of standard procedures led to the model's prediction of an unrealistic net sediment transport direction on Galveston Island. However, a careful analysis of the important forcing functions, particularly the effects of the local wind field, led to the development of an appropriate alternative procedure which produced GENESIS results in agreement with observations.