The Validation of XBeach model in Laboratory Experiments: A Study on Hydrodynamics and Morphodynamics in Coastal Zone to Predict the Coastal Erosion

Noerdin Basir(1) , Hiraishi Tetsuya(2)
(1) Center of Excellent Inspection Infrastructure and Disaster Mitigation, Department of Civil Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis, Bengkalis 28711, Indonesia,
(2) Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
https://doi.org/10.29244/coj.v9i2.313896

Article Sidebar

Issue
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2025): COJ (Coastal and Ocean Journal)
Submitted
September 25, 2024
Accepted
December 20, 2025
Published
December 20, 2025
Keywords:
    numerical model, Xbeach, coastal erosion, hydrodynamic, morphodynamic
DOWNLOAD PDF

Abstract

While the XBeach model has been validated for complex coastal processes under storm conditions, its performance in predicting hydrodynamics and morphodynamic changes under controlled, small-scale regular wave scenarios—a critical gap for foundational calibration and understanding—remains less documented. This study addresses this gap by rigorously validating XBeach's capability to simulate regular wave propagation and the consequent coastal erosion in a controlled laboratory environment. The experiment was conducted in a 30 m flume at Kyoto University's UJIGAWA laboratory, using a piston-type wavemaker to generate nine regular wave cases (wave heights: 1.68–3.3 cm; periods: 0.83 s and 1.205 s). Model accuracy was quantitatively assessed using the Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The results demonstrate that XBeach proficiently simulates both hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes. The validation for significant wave height yielded an MAE of 0.07, while the validation for the eroded area yielded an MAE of 0.05 (5%). Both MAE values are below the 10% sufficiency threshold, confirming the model's reliability in predicting wave transformation and erosion magnitude under regular wave forcing. This study provides a foundational validation benchmark, enhancing confidence in applying XBeach for coastal erosion prediction in scenarios dominated by monochromatic wave conditions.

Full text article

Generated from XML file

References

Bradley, K. (2023). Calibrating XBeach for extreme wave run-up in flume experiments (Doctoral dissertation). University of Plymouth.

De Vet, P. L. M., van Dongeren, A. R., McCall, R. T., & van Thiel de Vries, J. S. M. (2020). Laboratory-scale validation of XBeach non-hydrostatic for wave transformation and run-up on fringing reefs. Coastal Engineering, 158, 103673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2020.103673

Gomes da Silva, P., Coco, G., & Bryan, K. R. (2021). Morphodynamic modeling of beach profile evolution using XBeach: A comparison with laboratory data (NIWA Report No. 2021-45). National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.

Janssen, M. (2016). Flood hazard reduction by mangroves (Master’s thesis). Delft University of Technology.

Kusumadewi, H. (2025). Coastal vulnerability–maritime security nexus: Insights from the coast of Java Island. Coastal and Ocean Journal, 9(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.29244/coj.v9i1.59528

Lashley, C. H., Roelvink, D., van Dongeren, A., Buckley, M. L., & Lowe, R. J. (2021). Modelling infragravity waves and their contribution to swash zone morphodynamics with XBeach: A laboratory validation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126(4), e2020JC016756. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC016756

Martins, K., et al. (2022). Validation of XBeach for mixed-sediment beaches in laboratory experiments. In Proceedings of the 7th IAHR Europe Congress. Athens, Greece.

McCall, R. T., van Thiel de Vries, J. S. M., Plant, N. G., van Dongeren, A. R., Roelvink, J. A., & Thompson, D. M. (2019). Two-dimensional time-dependent hurricane overwash and erosion modeling at Santa Rosa Island. Coastal Engineering, 149, 49–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2019.03.006

McCall, R. T., Simmons, J. A., & Setyawan, W. B. (2023). Evaluating the predictive skill of XBeach for coastal erosion hazard assessment: A statistical analysis of model performance in laboratory experiments. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(5), 881–895. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-22-00123.1

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. (n.d.). NIWA publications. https://niwa.co.nz

Poate, T. G., et al. (2020). Laboratory and field validation of XBeach for pebble beach erosion. Geomorphology, 351, 106957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.106957

Roelvink, D., Reniers, A., & van Dongeren, A. (2021). Advances in XBeach model validation for coastal morphodynamics: Laboratory and field applications. In Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE 2021). Sydney, Australia. https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v37.management.1

Splinter, K. D., Harley, M. D., & Turner, I. L. (2019). Remote sensing and numerical modeling of nearshore hydro-morphodynamics under storm conditions using XBeach. Remote Sensing, 11(16), 1889. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889

Teams, X.-B. (2017). XBeach documentation (Release pre-1.22.4344).

Van der Lugt, M. A. (2022). Validation of XBeach for wave-driven sediment transport in laboratory experiments (Master’s thesis). Delft University of Technology. https://repository.tudelft.nl

Van der Ven, P. P. D. (2016). Benchmark test of wave penetration in harbor (Technical report). Deltares.

Van Dongeren, A., Roelvink, D., & McCall, R. (2023). XBeach: A process-based model for nearshore hydrodynamics and morphodynamics. In Handbook of coastal and ocean engineering (2nd ed., pp. 345–372). World Scientific. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789813233915_0015

Van Rooijen, A. A., McCall, R. T., van Thiel de Vries, J. S. M., van Dongeren, A. R., & Reniers, A. J. H. M. (2022). Validation of XBeach for wave overtopping and dune erosion under storm conditions using large-scale laboratory data. Coastal Engineering, 172, 104075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2021.104075

Williams, J. J., de Alegría-Arzaburu, A. R., & Masselink, G. (2020). Validating XBeach for barrier island response to storms using large-scale laboratory experiments. In Proceedings of the Coastal Dynamics Conference. Delft, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483262.012

Xiao, H., et al. (2023). XBeach validation for gravel barrier dynamics under storm conditions. Marine Geology, 456, 106982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2023.106982

Authors

Noerdin Basir
Center of Excellent Inspection Infrastructure and Disaster Mitigation, Department of Civil Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis, Bengkalis 28711, Indonesia
noerbas@gmail.com (Primary Contact)
Hiraishi Tetsuya
Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
Copyright and license info is not available

Article Details