Marine Geology - Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam - Printed in The Netherlands

BEACH LAMINATION: NATURE AND ORIGIN 1

H. E D W A R D CLIFTON
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, Calif. (U.S.A.)
(Received June 28, 1968)

SUMMARY

A distinctive two-fold sedimentation unit characterizes lamination in the

upper swash zone of beaches. Within the unit a fine and/or a heavy mineral rich
layer at the base grades upward into a coarser and/or a heavy mineral poor layer
at the top. This distinctive type of lamination results from grain segregation within
bed flow during wave backwash.

NATURE OF BEACH LAMINATION

Regular, nearly parallel lamination has long been recognized as the charac-
teristic sedimentary structure of beach foreshore deposits (THOMPSON, 1937, p.726).
This lamination generally is defined either by alternating layers of different grain
size, by alternating light layers of different heavy mineral content, or by a combina-
tion of the two. Detailed examination of the laminations reveals a generally
unrecognized but characteristic combination of textural and mineralogical grading.
Experimental studies on present-day beaches provide a genetic interpretation for
this type of lamination.

Fig.1. Inverse textural grading on beach, north of Cape Blanco, Oregon, viewed at a low
angle to bedding. Quarter-dollar coin for scale.

1 Publication authorized by the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Marine Geol., 7 (1969) 553-559

 554 I1. h. (I.IFTON

Surfaces cut slightly oblique to the bedding plane greatly expand t h e view o f
the section and permit observations of microstratigraphic features not obvious in a
plane normal to bedding. Where layers of coarse and fine sand alternate in beach
deposits a distinct textural grading upward from fine to coarse grains commonly
is apparent (Fig. I). This style of textural gradation, which is opposite in direction
from that encountered in certain other sediments, particularly turbidites, has been

i
t d
C

5 4 5
-~

2 I
......

0
~_~I. f

10987654521
//

% MAGNETITE % HEAVY MINERALS (SG)2.96)

_2 3_
e
d 2
c .... ~
b )

19 20 2.1 2 2.5 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.5 2.4 2,5

MEDIAN V OF LIGHT FRACTION (SG(2,96) MEDIAN~OF HEAVY FRACTION (SG>2.96)
Fig.2. Textural and mineralogic grading within a set of beach laminations from San
Gregorio beach, California.

previously noted in beach deposits (SANDERS, 1965, p.208). Where light and dark
layers alternate, a mineralogic gradation commonly is apparent. The basal layer is
marked by a concentration of the dark heaviest accessory minerals such as magnetite
and ilmenite. At the top of this dark layer is a concentration of accessory minerals
of slightly lower density (such as amphiboles and pyroxenes) which grades upward
into lighter colored quartzose sand, reflecting an upwardly decreasing density
gradation. The contact at the base of either a fine layer or a dark layer is relatively
sharp in contrast to the gradational contact at its top. Fig.2 demonstrates the
textural and mineralogical changes that occur within a set of layers. These observa-
tions indicate that the normal sedimentation unit within beach deposits is two-fold,
consisting of a basal fine and/or dark layer or lamina and an upper coarse and/or
light layer or lamina.
The grading described above may be difficult to detect in the field. Further-
more, beach sand typically is very well sorted, so textural grading may be ira-

Marine Geol., 7 (1969) 553-559

BEACH LAMINATION: NATURE AND ORIGIN 555

perceptible. On extremely well sorted beaches in which mineralogic variation is

small, the lamination itself may not be apparent to the unaided eye. Moreover, the
upper portion of many units is missing, removed prior to or during emplacement
of superjacent layers. Nevertheless, according to SANDERS (1965; p.208), reverse
textural grading is common on seaward-dipping beds of beach foreshores and the
layering of many beaches in Oregon and California shows this type of grading,
superimposed on a normal density grading.

ORIGIN OF BEACH LAMINATION

The origin of the lamination was examined experimentally in this study

using simple, easily constructed equipment. Initial experiments were designed to
indicate the amount of erosion and backfilling effected through an entire tidal cycle
or during the passage of a single wave. A 3/8-inch welding rod was driven into the
sand, a loosely-fitting metal washer was slipped over the rod and placed on the
beach surface, and a wire was tightly fastened to the rod at the sand surface level.
At the end of an observation period, the distance from the wire to the washer,
which fell as erosion took place, indicated the total amount of erosion and the
distance from the washer to the final sand surface level indicated the amount of
subsequent backfilling. The maximum depth of erosion, either after a tidal cycle
or after the passage of a single wave, was marked by a fine layer, or, if heavy
minerals were abundant, a dark layer. This basal layer generally was slightly
downwarped at the washer as a result local scour around the washer; in every
case, however, this scour was a minor effect and did not significantly effect the
experiment.
The equipment was slightly modified (Fig.3) in order to determine how the
layering was produced. Every wave was seen to have one of three effects: erosion
without subsequent deposition, erosion followed by a variable amount of deposi-
tion, and deposition on an uneroded surface. These differences in response probably
result from interactions of wave characteristics such as height, velocity and sus-
pended sand content, together with changing beach characteristics such as slope,
elevation and sediment grain size possibly combined with effects of water table
and tide cycle (DuNcAN, 1964). Nearly every time that erosion occurred on the
upper swash zone, it coincided with wave backwash, generally when the water
was no more than a couple of inches deep. Deposition, which commonly followed
the erosion, is inferred likewise to have been the product of wave backwash and
it is likely that all layering of the upper swash zone results from backwash. The
product of sedimentation in nearly every case observed was a graded two-fold
sedimentation unit similar to those described above. Results of the study were
similar on steep beaches composed of coarse sand and gently sloping beaches
composed of medium-fine sand.
The nature of the sedimentation mechanism was studied by inserting a

Marine Geol., 7 (1969) 553-559

556 i1. i. ('IA[:T()N

c~

' . ~

0 I foot
L J

Fig.3. Equipment used to study origin of beach lamination, a ~ washers connected by

rod affixed to one side; fall of upper washer is readily observed and indicates lowering of beach
surface during wave passage, b = wire affixed to rod at position of upper washer at outset of
experiment; distance between wire and top washer after wave passage indicates amount of erosion.
c -~ wire affixed to second rod at beach surface at outset of experiment; distance between wire
and sand surface after wave passage indicates amount of change of beach surface level, d = area
between the two rods where sand has been stirred to destroy pre-existing layers, thereby ensuring
that any structure found at end of experiment was the product of the observed wave. e = sedi-
mentation arresting device consisting of outer shell (1) of 8 inch stove pipe cut by a vertical slot
and an inner sheet metal liner (2) with a diagonal slot; rotation of inner liner causes hole (3) formed
at the intersection of the two slots to be raised or lowered, permitting drainage of water trapped
within the device without destroying or modifying enclosed structures. Tests of the device demon-
strated that its use did not inherently modify pre-existing structure. Device was emplaced at time
of maximum erosion, i.e., at the moment when the top washer stopped falling.

sedimentation-arresting device (Fig.3) into the sand at the time of m a x i m u m

erosion as indicated by the fall of the washers. This m e t h o d provided a c o m p a r i s o n
between the resulting arrested l a m i n a t i o n s a n d the u n i n t e r r u p t e d l a m i n a t i o n s
produced outside the device. Whereas the u n i n t e r r u p t e d sedimentation unit showed
the characteristic gradation between two layers, the arrested sedimentation unit,
of nearly equal thickness, lacked either m a r k e d grading or distinct sorting into
layers. This observation indicates that segregation between coarse a n d fine grains,

Marine Geol., 7 (1969) 553-559

BEACH LAMINATION: NATURE AND ORIGIN 557

and between light and heavy grains occurred very quickly within a moving layer
of sand following the maximum erosion during the backwash.
Several terms have been proposed that might apply to such a moving layer
of sand in the swash zone. EINSTEIN(1948, p. 654) describes a "bed layer" of particles
rolling on the beach surface. MILLER and ZEIGLER(1958, p.418) call swash zone
transport "sheet flow". INGLE (1966, p.138) discusses a "thin layer of grains and
water known as the mobile or bed-load layer". It is not clear which, if any, of the
foregoing terms describe the process wherein sorting takes place on wave backwash.
Observations made with a periscope through active backwash indicated the
occasional presence of a dense cloud of suspended sediment 1-2 cm thick flowing
at the sediment-water interface; whether or not this layer provides the mechanism
for the observed sorting is uncertain. It can be stated here only that a flowing
layer of sand does seem to occur during backwash and this process is herein
referred to as "bed flow".
The concentration of particles within bed flow is probably sufficiently high
as to place the flow mechanically in the region where the effects of grain inertia
dominate (BAGNOLD, 1954, p.51-52 and INMAN, 1963, p.132-134). The concentra-
tion of heavy mineral grains by settling as one layer of sand moved over another
has been suggested by INMAN and FILLOUX (1960). Textural sorting within a
moving layer of densely concentrated particles is predicted by BAGNOLD (1954,
p.62) who suggested that the flow process would tend to segregate the coarser
grains of any particular density toward the top and the finer grains of the same
density toward the base of the flow. For grains of equal size, those with greater
densities could logically be expected to work their way down through the layer
relative to lighter grains. The term "shear sorting" is proposed for this mechanism
by INMAN et al. (1966, pp.800-801), who suggest that it plays an active role in
sedimentation on beaches as well as in other depositional environments. The
process acting on beaches may be somewhat similar to that suggested by WALKER
(1965, p.7) to explain reverse graded bedding in turbidites, i.e., an unusually high
concentration of sand in the flow and an abnormally rapid upward decline of
grain shear velocity in the upper part of the flow. Both of these conditions are
met, assuming similar grain composition and similar kinematic fluid viscosity,
in bed flow during wave backwash on a beach.
The depth of the bed flow varies depending on grain size, beach slope and
wave intensity. The depth of bed flow on beaches should be restricted to two grain
diameters according to EINSTEIN (1948, p.654) or a depth of approximately four
grain diameters according to INGLE (1966, p.87). My observations, however,
indicate that the units of sedimentation produced are commonly several tenths
of an inch thick, which is equivalent to many grain diameters. The sedimentation
unit shown in Fig.2 has a thickness of about 30 grain diameters. The greatest
thickness of sediment observed to be deposited from a single wave was 0.7 inches.
Thicker beach sedimentation units are not uncommon, particularly on coarse

Marine Geol., 7 (1969) 553-559

558 H. ~-_ CL1VroN

sand beaches, and according to KING (1951, p. 135) "disturbance" due to a single
wave may amount to several inches.
Minor deviations of beach surface slope, either within a single tidal cycle or
between different cycles, cause truncation of previously deposited layers, producing
low angle cross-stratification that is typical of foreshore deposits (DUNCAN, 1964,
p. 192). Bed flow thus can account for nearly all stratification within the upper
swash zone of beaches, except for the gently landward dipping foresets produced
by regressive sand waves (PANIN and PANIN, 1967, p.221) and the highly lenticular
lamination formed where a small rivulet crosses a beach.
In plan the sedimentation units formed by wave backwash take the form of
irregular ellipses elongate parallel to the strand line. Two units, which were un-
truncated by younger layers and thus appeared to be complete, were mapped to
establish their lateral distribution. One occurred in an ellipse 21 ft. long by l0 ft.
wide; the other was larger (64 ft. long by 34 ft. wide) and more irregular. The size
and shape of the units in plan probably depend on the size of the wave which
forms them and on the topography of the beach surface during their formation.
The backwash bed flow process and resulting graded two-fold sedimentation
unit should occur on all beaches where lamination is produced on the upper fore-
shore. The distinctive stratification should also be present in ancient beaches,
providing a useful means for identifying such paleogeographically important
deposits. The mechanism by which the laminations are formed explains the general
absence of common ripple bedding and other manifestations of surface structures
within beach deposits. It also undoubtedly explains in part the general lack of
settling velocity equivalence between different mineral species within an individual
beach lamination (HAND, 1967, p.516).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1 am indebted to R. J. Janda who suggested the washer-rod technique of

study and to R. E. Hunter and R. L. Phillips for their assistance and helpful
discussion.

REFERENCES

BAGNOLD, R. A., 1954. Experiments on a gravity-free dispersion of large solid spheres in a

Newtonian fluid under shear. Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), Ser. ,4, 225: 49-63.
DUNCANJR., J. R., 1964. The effects of water table and tide cycle on swash-backwash, sediment
distribution and beach profile development. Marine Geol., 2: 186-197.
EINSTEIN,H. A., 1948. Movement of beach sands by water waves. Trans. Am. Geophys. Union,
29: 653-655.
HAND,B. M., 1967. Differentiation of beach and dune sands, using settling velocities of light and
heavy minerals. J. Sediment. Petrol., 37: 514-520.
INGLE,J. C., 1966. The Movement of Beach Sand. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 221 pp.

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BEACH LAMINATION" NATURE AND ORIGIN 559

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SHEPARD (Editor), Submarine Geology, 2nd ed. Harper and Row, New York, N.Y,,
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PANIN, N. and PANIN, ST., 1967. Regressive sand waves on the Black Sea Shore. Marine Geol.,
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SANDERS, J. E., 1965. Primary sedimentary structures formed by turbidity currents and related
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Marine Geol., 7 (1969) 553-559