PROGRESS REPORTS ON RESEARCH SPONSORED BY 
THE BEACH EROSION BOARD 
Abstracts from progress reports on several research contracts in 
force between universities or other institutions and the Beach Erosion 
Board, together with brief statements as to the status of research pro- 
jects being prosecuted in the laboratory of the Beach Erosion Board are 
presented as follows: 
I. University of California, Contract No. DA-l9-055-eng-8, Status 
Report No. 13, 1 Dec. 1953 through 1 March 195h. 
The report entitled "Bore Hole Studies of the Naturally Impounded 
Fill at Santa Barbara Breakwater, California", Institute of Engineering 
Research, Waves Research’ Laboratory, Technical Report Series 1, Issue 
1h, by Parker D. Trask and Theodore Scott, was submitted to the Beach 
Erosion Board on 18 January. Insofar as is known, this is the first 
attempt that has been made to drill holes through a natural accumulation 
of sand above a shallow water offshore area in order to study sedimentary 
processes. 
The mechanical analysis of the sand samples collected during the 
course of the survey of the movement of sand around rocky promontories 
of Point Arguello, Point Conception and Point Dume in Southern California 
is, as of 28 February 1954, approximately 35 percent complete. 
During the latter part of February a series of sand samples taken 
at mathematical intervals was obtained at two localities off the coast 
at Point Heyes, in order to determine the variability of individual 
samples taken upon a beach which was known to be irregular in composition. 
Previous studies of sample errors have generally heen made upon beaches 
that ostensibly vary very slightly. This study at Point Reyes was 
carried out with the object of showing how reliable an individual sample 
could be upon a beach known to be irregular in composition. 
II. University of California Contract No. DA-9-055-eng-17, Status 
Report No. 3 - 1 October to 31 December 1953. 
The experimental work with a movable bed was completed and a report 
submitted entitled "Sand Movement Mechanics in Deep Water" by Madhav 
Manohar. Part I of this report dealt with the mechanics of sand move- 
ment on sandy beds in relatively deep water due to the action. of 
oscillatory waves of small amplitude and long wave length. On the assumption 
that the bottom water oscillations were nearly simple harmonic motions, 
sand movement mechanics were studied by oscillating a section of the bed 
horizontally through still water. Only that part of the sediment load 
which rolls, or creeps along the bottom, as distinguished from suspended 
load which is carried in the fluid in suspension was considered in this 
report. Its initial and general movement, the critical velocities and 
horizontal amplitudes required for such movements, the conditions of flow 
at the interface - whether laminar or turbulent - were axperimentally 
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