ON THE LONGSHORE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT CAPACITY IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS

This paper presents a new expression of the longshore sediment transport capacity CT, for random wind generated waves. It is proportional to the significant wave height to the power to 2.5 and it depends on the mean angle of the directional spectrum. Using the data of indirect reconstruction of the wave motion (UKMO) and the data NDBC of the American Oceanographic and Atmospheric net, the longshore transport capacity is respectively estimated in the two locations situated along the Italian Jonian shore (Saline Joniche-Italy) and along the shore of the Pacific Ocean (Santa Barbara - USA). The longshore sediment transport capacity is resulted greater on the Santa Barbara coast (Pacific Ocean) than on the Saline beach (Jonian sea). It is almost double in comparison to the longshore sediment transport estimated in the Jonian Sea. Besides, using this parameter, it has been possible to calculate the longshore sediment transport. It is resulted six times more intense at Santa Barbara respect of the longshore sediment transport calculated in the Jonian Sea at Saline Joniche. This big difference is substantially due to the different values assumed by the sediment factor in the two locations.