Date of Award

1990

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Geography

Keywords

Physical Geography.

Supervisor

Phipps, A. G.,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

This work investigated whether or not the shape of the grains affected the distribution of sediment on the foreshore slope. Experiments were conducted in both the laboratory and the field. In the laboratory, experiments were performed in a wave tank. Sediment was placed upon an artificial slope, and experiments were run using the three different slopes and wave stages. Results indicated that the roundness increased toward the top of the foreshore. Although no definite conclusions could be drawn about sphericity, the figures indicated that sphericity also increased towards the top of the foreshore. The field analysis was conducted on Tremblay Beach Conservation Area, Lake St. Clair, Ontario. Results showed that the roundness increased upslope, as did the sphericity of the grains. This was especially true when the direction of the incoming swash was taken into consideration. Although no statistical analysis could be performed on the data, the evidence given by the results emphasis the distribution by shape does occur. In both the laboratory and the field the statistical analysis did indicate that the effect of the size was basically eliminated from the experiment such that the distribution was not in fact caused by the variation in size within the dedicated limits. An analysis of means comparing the means of two independent samples, the normally occurring slopes and those calculated by Sunamura's (1984) model, could not be performed. The figures obtained from the model could not be normalized. However, the model overpredicted the naturally occurring slopes under the field conditions that existed. The results from this study indicated that grain shape is an important factor geomorphologically and sedimentologically when considering the distribution of sediment on the foreshore slope.Dept. of Geography. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1990 .V373. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 30-03, page: 0687. Chairman: A. G. Phipps. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1990.

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