DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMT 



Office of the Chief of Engineer; FT-62 $ 63,000 



FT-63 $100,000 

 Topographic changes in coastal waters will be studied with relation to 

 navigation channels, the silting of jetties and breakwaters and the 

 control of shoaling. These changes represent a complex interaction 

 of tidal currents, wave action and littoral drift „ The projects 

 involve field studies, laboratory tests,, and data analyses. Use will 

 be made of research institutions as well as government laboratories 

 in this work.. 



The meeting of tidal currents and storm waves at inlet bars represents ■_ 

 probably the most violent aspect of oceanography, and the study of this 

 action is costly and difficult „ A research study is underway to improve 

 the ability to analyze these actions in small-scale laboratory wave 

 and tidal basins. 



The mechanics of tsunamis (earthquake generated waves) will be studied 

 with particular reference to the increase in height in shallow water 

 and the run-up of these waves on the shore* 



Startling changes in the oceanic environment have occurred in the coastal 

 zone where the tidal bays, lagoons and estuaries are subjected to shoaling 

 processes from silting and to erosion by internal waves and tidal cur- 

 rents, Here 3 the interplay has resulted in the silting up, within his- 

 toric times, of large bays (e.g.. - the Louisiana marshes) and, conversely, 

 the erosion of great areas by wave attack (e.g. - banks of Chesapeake Bay) e 

 Studies of the shoaling and the erosion in these tidal waters will be 

 carried out as part of this research program. 



Beach Erosion Board FY-62 $lli°,00G 



FT-63 $1^2,000 

 Every wind movement over the ocean generates a wave train. The accumu- 

 lated energy in these wave trains is constantly being dissipated on the 

 shores and beaches of the land masses. The Board's research program 

 contains a series of studies to determine the relationship between 

 the character of the waves and the changes (erosion or accretion) of 

 the shore. Studies will continue to be made to determine seasonal 

 beach changes from wave action, as well as more abrupt changes, from 

 a single violent storm. 



The formation and disappearance of offshore bars and beach cusps, berm 

 creation and destruction, equilibrium profiles, and the rate of .littoral 

 transport of sand along the shore are other projects that will be 

 continued or begun in FT-63 » Studies on basic mechanisms of transport 

 by waves and currents will be continued, through both university con- 

 tract and laboratory work. The amount of sand in suspension under wave 

 action is under study, as is the proportionate relation of this sus- 

 pended material to littoral transport rate. Use of various fluorescent 



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