MORPHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF AN ENGINEERED COASTLINE: A CASE STUDY FROM CONSTANȚA, BLACK SEA COAST OF ROMANIA

Abstract

This study examines cross-shore morphological variability in three beach profiles within the engineered
coastal sector of Constanța, Romanian Black Sea, over the period 2022–2024. Annual GPS-based
topographic surveys were conducted using high-precision equipment (GIS-grade and geodetic-class RTK
receivers with real-time ROMPOS corrections) along fixed transects marked by permanent benchmarks.
Morphological changes were evaluated relative to the 2015 post-beach nourishment profile, which served
as the baseline for comparative analysis. To explore the influence of hydrodynamic conditions, the
evolution of the beach profile was correlated with sea surface height (SSH) data from the Copernicus
Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), capturing seasonal and interannual sea level variability.
Results show that the shoreline response closely follows SSH trends: lower SSH values were generally
associated with stable or accreting profiles, while higher values, especially during storm events, triggered
crest retreat, scarping, and upper beach erosion. Among the transects studied, CT1 showed the most
significant erosion, whereas CT3 exhibited greater resilience due to the development of a berm. These
findings highlight the value of integrating SSH variability and high-resolution GPS surveys to enhance
coastal monitoring and inform adaptive shoreline management strategies in engineered environments.