Evaluation of existing practical models of cross-shore sand transport in the Swash Zone

Beach evolution is important for the protection of coastal areas and the stability of ecosystems. The swash zone affects both the subaerial and subaqueous evolution of the beach. A properly practical prediction of the swash zone beach evolution is necessary for the evaluation of beach management scenarios. In this study, two practical swash sand transport models, i.e. the Larson (2004) sand transport formula and the Van Rijn (2009) distribution approach, were assessed. Model performance is quantitatively evaluated by comparing the predicted and measured profiles from large-scale wave flume tests. The calibrated Larson model can predict the beach accretion well while it shows weak performance for the erosive conditions. The Van Rijn distribution model is capable of predicting the shoreline retreat and progradation reasonably well but does not predict the profile evolution very well. Testing results indicate that existing practical swash sand transport models require further development and improvement.