Modelling longshore sediment transport under asymmetric waves

Two wave theories are applied in calculations of longshore sediment transport rates: the second Stokes approximation and the cnoidal theory. These approaches are used to model sand motion in nearshore locations beyond and within the surf zone. Wave-current interaction in the nearbed layer and bed shear stresses are solved using a momentum integral method, whereas sediment transport is described by a three-layer model encompassing bedload, contact load and suspended load. Computational results for asymmetric waves are compared with the results obtained using linear wave theory and the conventional sediment transport models of Bailard (1981), Bijker (1971) and Van Rijn (1993).