Do you go to many beaches? Did you travel on holiday and enjoy the sun and the sea? So you may have noticed that the beach shape changes over time.
These changes influence the beach sediment gain and loss depending on the seasonal period. This process is called a sedimentary balance. If sedimentary material is added, such as sands, there will be a sedimentary supply. However, if the beach material is removed, there is a sediment deficit.
The annual sediment deficit, that is, there is sediment removal throughout the year, means that a certain beach is in the process of erosion. The main processes that act on the beach dynamics are the wave regime, tides, currents, winds, the type of sediment present on the beach, the available sedimentary stock, such as cliffs and dunes; besides the human action on the beaches.
So how is it possible to evaluate these morphological variations on the beaches? Well, for that, it is necessary to measure the beach profile. This measurement uses a conventional level and a crosshair, exemplified in the photo below: