PASIR RIS BEACHES : A CASE-STUDY OF BEACHES BETWEEN HEADLAND BREAKWATERS

Abstract

Newly reclaimed beaches between headland breakwaters at Pasir Ris are subjected to low energy waves with no alongshore variation and minimal littoral drift Runoff processes are relatively important. These beaches are partly formed with narrow foreshores and often exposed abrasion ramps, thus t corresponding to Wong's ( 1981) beach type I. Planforms are poorly-defined seaward concave curves which do not approach Silvester's (1970) logarithmic spirals. Beach profiles and rain size characteristics have no alongshore variations. The Pasir Ris beach model is not very different from the reclaimed beaches on the southeast coast of Singapore but differs from Finkelstein's (1982) crenulate bay beaches in a high or moderate wave energy environment. The Pasir Ris beaches are unlikely to develop into logarithmic spirals. Berm-dominated beaches would take a long time to develop unless fill of a suitable grain size is added.