A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF FLAT-GRAVEL TRANSPORT OVER A SANDY BEACH, PEHUÉN CO, ARGENTINA

GERARDO M.E. PERILLO; MAURICIO M. PERILLO; M. CINTIA PICCOLO; GISELA NOELIA REVOLLO SARMIENTO; NATALIA V. REVOLLO SARMIENTO; ERNESTO ALBERDI

LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SEDIMENTOLOGY AND BASIN ANALYSIS

Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina

Año: 2012 vol. 18 p. 105 - 120

1669-7316

Pehuén Co Beach, on the southwest coast of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina),provides an example of an heterogeneous (mixed sand-gravel) sediment beach with gravelsof the most diverse size and origin. Over 40% of the pebbles are carbonate flat gravels.Field observations included beach profiles, measurements of wave generated currents withan acoustic currentmeter (ADV), videos of 5 x 5 m grid located on the swash zone duringinundation from a nearby tower. Video films where rectified and analyzed using PIV andwavelets. Based on the results, we demonstrated that flat gravels can be easily transportedupbeach distances in excess of 5 m in about 1.5 h. This period corresponds to the hightide situation and covering the steepest beachface segment. Wave conditions during theexperiment corresponded to low breaker height and short periods, but by no means theycould be considered as storm waves demonstrating that gravels can be transported even bysaltation during fair weather conditions.