Abstract
This study investigates process-based functions of sand-filled-geotextile bags as coastal stabilization works through laboratory experiments. An image-based technique was newly introduced to automatically extract bed profiles and this technique enabled us to acquire high-frequency and high-resolution data of bed profile changes, which provide instantaneous local cross-shore sediment transport rates. Sand-filled geotextile bags, installed inside surf-zone, showed essential functions not only to mitigate erosion but also to trap sediment without causing significant impacts on natural beach processes. Experimental analysis revealed that principal factors of observed shoreline stabilization are wave energy dissipation and asymmetric profiles of the time-varying suspended sediment concentrations around the sand bags.
