Beach Morphodynamics And Sediment Characteristics At Some Selected Beaches Along Terengganu Coastal Region

Abstract

Knowledge of coastal morphodynamic processes is necessary for complete understanding of the depositional or erosional framework of a coastline. The main aim of this study is to identify the processes that operate at the selected beaches along the monsoon coast of Terengganu in a year cycle. Beach profiles have been surveyed, and beach sediment samples were collected bi-monthly at each stations studied. During the Northeast Monsoon, the coastline is under the influence of strong waves and currents though during the rest of the year, it is subject to moderate and low hydraulic energy levels with relatively weak waves and currents. Results indicate that the beach profiles show that they experience dynamic changes in a one year period of survey. During the Northeast Monsoon, most of the beach foreshores are eroded with overtopping processes shifting berm crests upward and landward. Sediments from the eroded foreshores are moved down into the water where longshore currents transport them in a downdrift direction to sites of accretion. During the rest of the year, accretion is dominant with the lack of high energy waves allowing swells to rebuild the beaches.