Prediction of shoreline evolution by statistical analysis of beach samples and surveys at new Mangalore Port

Abstract

The coastal zone of Mangalore is acquiring an ever-increasing importance due to its rich ocean resources and favourable conditions for development of port based industries. All weather New Mangalore Port (NMP) Trust is the administrative unit of the port, which caters to the needs of large, medium and small-scale industries. The NMP is situated 10 km North of Mangalore, along Karnataka Coast, West Coast of India. The present study was carried out with a view to (i) understand sediment dynamics (ii) erosion/accretion pattern and (iii) study the coastal processes in the vicinity of the NMP breakwaters. Beach face sediment samples were collected and statistical parameters were determined using Folk and Ward (1957) formulae and then Sediment Trend Matrix (STM) was prepared. The STM was used to draw Sediment Transport Paths (STP), from which predominant sediment transport direction was identified. The performance of breakwaters at NMP was assessed by lead line soundings data. Based on the present study it is concluded that the net sediment transport in the vicinity of the NMP coast is very small. There are no significant changes observed in the bathymetry and shoreline in the vicinity of NMP due to breakwaters construction.