AbstractA dynamic model for the stochastic simulation of wave action on concave-shaped nearshore profiles is presented. The Airy, Stokes and Cnoidal wave theories, together with the appropriate shoaling equations are used in the simulation. Wave heights are adjusted for breaking conditions, and bed load and suspended load are computed with the best available equations.On each iteration, which is approximately seventy minutes of real time, deep water wave heights and periods are parameterized in the model with autocorrelated Rayleigh distributed variates. The tidal range, which changes every twelve iterations, is a normally distributed random variate. Using different initial slopes but identical wave and sediment input values, a FORTRAN IV program is executed for two simulation runs, with each run lasting for 1512 iterations.The results demonstrate that on a short-term basis the configuration of the profile developed for the first run of the simulation is not repeatable for the second simulation run. However, on each simulation run, the cumulative effects of low deepwater steepness values influence the development of a nonbarred configuration, while sustained high steepness values can be correlated with erosion and bar formation. Both barred and nonbarred configurations attain some form of temporary and repeatable equilibrium when sediment transport is not initiated, and when consecutive input values of wave heights and periods remain almost constant.Temporal variations in wave steepness not only give an indication of breaker type, but also reflect changes in the various components of wave velocity, and the magnitude and direction of sediment transport. It is shown that with plunging breakers the bulk of the transported load is deposited just seaward of the breakpoint position, while spilling breakers and higher steepness values generally cause an onshore movement and deposition of material.