Effect of fence opening configurations on dune development

Abstract

Fences have been widely used in coastal protection engineering for their low cost, simple deployment, and easy integration with ecosystems. The effects of fence porosity and height on dune development have been investigated while not much attention has been paid to the effects of fence opening configurations, such as opening size and geometry, and porosity distributions. In this study, we deployed eight fences with same height and similar porosity, but different opening configurations on a sandy beach in Pingtan, Fujian Province. Results indicate that there is a similar two-dune-one-trough pattern for all fences at the beginning of dune development, and opening size, orientation, and geometry, and porosity distribution control the leeward dune peak locations. Fences with small openings and non-uniform porosity have high trapping efficiency, and upper denser porosity may be the optimal design as these fences have the highest trapping efficiency and capacity. The conclusions from this study can provide guidance on practical fence design.