Coastal sediment dynamics: recent advances and future research needs

This vision paper discusses the advances made over the last three decades in coastal sand transport and morphodynamics, and the research needs for the coming decades. The prime focus of the paper is on the relationship between the transport of sand particles and fluid motions in the coastal environment based on laboratory and field experiments as well as mathematical modelling. The paper mainly focuses on two main issues: (1) better understanding of sediment transport processes in the coastal zone and (2) the development of improved practical engineering sand transport formulae and morphodynamic models.