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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C011899/1
Title: Development of innovative instrumentation to measure high-frequency bed level changes in the swash zone
Principal Investigator: Russell, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Dr T Butt
Project Partners:
Department: Sch of Earth Ocean and Environment
Organisation: University of Plymouth
Scheme: Overseas Travel Grants Pre-FEC
Starts: 01 February 2005 Ends: 31 October 2005 Value (£): 6,507
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Coastal & Waterway Engineering Instrumentation Eng. & Dev.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Environment
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Improved understanding of the physical processes responsible for beach erosion is fundamental to the future management of our coasts. Recent studies have shown that the most rapid sediment erosion and accumulation occurs in the swash zone, the so called 'biting edge' of the sea, where the beach is alternately covered by wave uprush and wave backwash.In spite of their importance, swash zone sediment transport processes and resulting changes in beach level are the least well understood of any region in the coastal zone. The most recent 10-year review of international nearshore processes research identified the number one priority area for future research as 'fluid and sediment transport processes in the swash zone.' To meet this challenge, in September 2004 the 1st International Workshop on Swash Zone Processes was held as an adjunct to the 29th International Conference on Coastal Engineering. This workshop concluded that one (of two) key knowledge gaps was due to the lack of suitable instrumentation to measure beach level change in the swash zone at the timescale of individual waves.This project will facilitate the development of prototype instrumentation to obtain these first-ever measurements of sediment accumulation and erosion from the swash zone at the time-scale of individual waves. This will be achieved by a visit from Dr Russell of University of Plymouth, UK, to work with colleagues at the Water Research Laboratory, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Australia. Dr Russell will contribute knowledge from his previous EPSRC grant that successfully obtained high frequency measurements of bed level change in the deeper water of the surf zone, and from his recent NERC grant that successfully made sediment transport measurements in the swash zone.The new measurement capability that is developed will be used by the participating researchers in a planned international effort in late 2005 to seek NICOP (Naval International Cooperative Opportunity Program, USA) external funding to undertake a major, multi-institution field research campaign to measure and model swash zone processes.
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Organisation Website: http://www.plym.ac.uk