Evaluation of the Effects of Morphological Parameters on Equilibrium of Tidal Basins

Abstract

The major features of tidal basins, such as tidal flats, tidal channels, intertidal areas, and tidal prisms, can be formulated through empirical relations based on field observations. Although empirical relations can explain some morphological patterns, they may not be applicable to all conditions. In some areas and geophysical conditions, empirical relations are not comprehensive and have limited validity because of the lack of observation data. Because of recent advances in the development of numerical models, long-term morphological process-based models are now able to simulate the morphological behavior of tidal basins. This study involved observation of tidal basin morphology. A numerical lab was established for the Musa Tidal Basin (MTB) to guarantee the authenticity of the modeling under various conditions. The aim was to evaluate the effects of morphological parameters on tidal basin equilibrium. Statistical methods were used to investigate the effects of parameters and their interactions with enough accuracy to provide a quantitative explanation of the effects of the parameters and to avoid qualitative justification. The simulations of the MTB applied a range of major parameters, including cohesive material amounts, available sediment volume, and sediment size and composition. Because computation time is a considerable challenge in long-term models, scenarios were designed to optimize the number of runs needed to assess the morphology according to parameter values and to reduce computational cost. Responses were then analyzed to define the comprehensive effects of those parameters on the simulated morphological equilibrium. The method thus involved a combination of realistic and deterministic approaches. Application of this methodology led to improved long-term results in different conditions, as confirmed by a comparison of the output and measured data.