Analysis of the Hydrodynamics and Morphological Changes of the Gold Coast Seaway Ebb-Tidal Delta

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Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Tomlinson, Rodger
Other Supervisors
Cartwright, Nicholas
Golshani, Aliasghar
Shahidi, Amir Etemad
Year published
2017
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The Gold Coast Seaway (GCS), known as the Nerang River Entrance (NRE) prior to stabilisation, is located at one of Australia’s premier tourist centres, and consequently, the provision of a safe navigation channel is significantly important for recreational boating and commercial craft activities between the ocean and the estuary. The tidal regime in the area is semi-diurnal with neap and spring tidal ranges of 0.3m to 2m respectively, and the entrance has a minor ebb dominant current regime. The dominant offshore wave climate is south to south east, and the beaches have a wave dominated, double bar morphology. The entrance ...
View more >The Gold Coast Seaway (GCS), known as the Nerang River Entrance (NRE) prior to stabilisation, is located at one of Australia’s premier tourist centres, and consequently, the provision of a safe navigation channel is significantly important for recreational boating and commercial craft activities between the ocean and the estuary. The tidal regime in the area is semi-diurnal with neap and spring tidal ranges of 0.3m to 2m respectively, and the entrance has a minor ebb dominant current regime. The dominant offshore wave climate is south to south east, and the beaches have a wave dominated, double bar morphology. The entrance location had undergone drastic changes due to natural processes prior to its stabilisation in 1986. These changes were significantly influenced by the dominant northward wave condition which, in combination with the resultant longshore sediment transport (LST), resulted in the entrance’s net northward migration prior to the stabilisation. The entrance has experienced an alteration in the inlet tidal prism since stabilisation and the implementation of the artificial bypassing system. As a result, the extent of the ebb-tidal delta offshore and its equilibrium volume have changed.
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View more >The Gold Coast Seaway (GCS), known as the Nerang River Entrance (NRE) prior to stabilisation, is located at one of Australia’s premier tourist centres, and consequently, the provision of a safe navigation channel is significantly important for recreational boating and commercial craft activities between the ocean and the estuary. The tidal regime in the area is semi-diurnal with neap and spring tidal ranges of 0.3m to 2m respectively, and the entrance has a minor ebb dominant current regime. The dominant offshore wave climate is south to south east, and the beaches have a wave dominated, double bar morphology. The entrance location had undergone drastic changes due to natural processes prior to its stabilisation in 1986. These changes were significantly influenced by the dominant northward wave condition which, in combination with the resultant longshore sediment transport (LST), resulted in the entrance’s net northward migration prior to the stabilisation. The entrance has experienced an alteration in the inlet tidal prism since stabilisation and the implementation of the artificial bypassing system. As a result, the extent of the ebb-tidal delta offshore and its equilibrium volume have changed.
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Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Degree Program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
Griffith School of Engineering
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
Subject
Gold Coast Seaway
Nerang River Entrance
Navigation channel
Sediment transport, Nerang River
Inlet hydrodynamics
Ebb-tidal delta