Wave run-up observations in microtidal, sediment-starved pocket beaches of the Eastern Mediterranean

A video-based method was used to acquire wave run-up information from 3 microtidal, sediment-starved 'pocket' beaches on the island of Lesbos (Greece, NE Mediterranean). The results showed that the investigated beaches exhibit particular characteristics with regard to the wave run-up, compared to the sandy oceanic beaches previously studied. Run-up heights appeared to be characterised by similar frequencies to those of the nearshore waves (studied through the acquisition of high frequency wave data in the nearshore zone). Low frequency motions are introduced via the swash, but their contribution to the total run-up energy appeared to be less significant than in previous studies. Previously-proposed parameterisations were mostly found not to describe adequately the present data, whereas predictions based on previously-proposed expressions were also not satisfactory, with the possible exception of the expression of Stockdon et al. [Stockdon, H.F., Holman, R.A., Howd, P.A., Sallenger, J.A.H., 2006. Empirical parameterization of setup, swash, and runup. Coast. Eng., 53(7), 573-588], which has been obtained on the basis of extensive datasets from diverse beaches. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.