SEDIMENTATION AND EQUILIBRIUM IN WAVE-FORMED BARS - REVIEW AND CASE-STUDY

In this paper an examination is made of one particular coastal form, namely wave-formed bars, in an effort to establish the controls on an ″equilibrium morphology″ . A brief review of existing models of bar formation and development is undertaken and the morphological and process parameters important in a tentative classification scheme are outlined. Examination of the bathymetric changes and sedimentation characteristics resulting from changing nearshore processes in one particular case study is used as a basis for evaluating existing models of nearshore sedimentation and a conceptual model for bar genesis and equilibrium is proposed.