Beach profile evolution in front of storm seawalls: A physical and numerical study

Large-scale physical experiments (Froude scale, 1:4.3) were performed at the new Delta Flume in 2017, aimed at investigating wave impacts on a vertical wall placed on the top of a dike in a mild slope shallow foreshore. Experiments also allowed to investigate the morphological evolution of the sandy foreshore, the scour at the dike toe and its development under irregular and bi-chromatic wave conditions. Both experimental results and numerical study performed to design the experiments are reported. Moreover, preliminary validation of the model to investigate the scour within a wider range of wave conditions and foreshore slopes is illustrated.