Nearshore vertical pore pressure gradients and onshore sediment transport under tropical storm forcing

Abstract

Colocated sediment pore pressures at depths of approximately 0.02 and 0.22 m below the sand surface and near-bed water velocities were measured for approximately 2 weeks in approximately 1 m mean water depth on an ocean beach near Duck, North Carolina. These measurements suggest that storm wave-driven liquefaction processes may enhance local shoreward sediment transport. During the passage of tropical storm Melissa, wave heights in 26-m water depth (NDBC 44100) were 1–4 m, and storm surge (approximately 1 m) and wave-induced setup increased the water depth on the beach. Upward vertical gradients in pressure heads between the sensors increased with the storm approach, with the largest values observed before the maxima in local wave heights, wave periods, and water depths. The large gradients in pore pressure exceeded several liquefaction criteria and usually occurred when near-bed velocities were upward- and shoreward-directed.