In depth notes on all the different types of hard and soft engineering strategies including description, advantages, disadvantages, sustainability and examples within the UK for obtaining grade A.
Hard engineering strategies- Artificial structures to control natural processes.
Type of How does it work? Advantages Disadvantages Sustainability Example
Structure
Sea walls Stone or concrete Effective Reflecting wave energy It produces a strong Ventnor on the Isle of
walls placed at the prevention of rather than absorbing it backwash in waves which Wight, England.
top of the beach/ cliff erosion as it can cause coastal can undercut the sea
base. Curved faces to reflects wave erosion further along the wall- making long term
reflect waves back energy back to sea. coast or in the sea- sustainability
into the sea & Provides a physical makes shoreline more questionable.
dissipate wave barrier to flooding subject to erosion.
energy. due to raising the Very expensive & incurs
height of the high maintenance costs.
coastline.
Groynes Rock or timber/ Creates a wider Depleting sediment Wood groynes need to be Worthing Beach, West
wooden structures beach as trapped supply further down the constantly maintained & Sussex
built at right angles to sediment enlarges beach can lead to replaced every 5-10
the beach. Traps the beach-good for increased erosion years. Using tropical
sediment moved by tourism. elsewhere. (downdrift) wood means that it's
longshore drift Breaks up waves Costly to build & unsustainable- easy to be
creating higher & as they hit the maintain. deforested.
wider beaches which coast- dissipating
will dissipate wave wave energy
energy. reduces coastal
erosion.
Gabions Rock filled wire cages Cheap to produce. Not very effective in Some of the gabions can Chesil cove, Dorset
that support a cliff. Can become areas with high wave last up to 10 years but
Stop erosion of sand vegetated & merge energy- rock cages can many had to be repaired
dunes & beaches. into landscape. split due to energy on an annual basis- cost
Can improve cliff caused by waves. Needs to produce & maintain
drainage. to be repaired & replaced could be expensive in the
, frequently- short life span. longer term.
(compared to sea walls)
Rock Piles of large Relatively cheap & Can make access to the Lasts a long time & is Scarborough
armour (rip boulders at the foot of easy to maintain & beach more difficult & efficient at absorbing
rap) a cliff. Hard resistant construct. dangerous. wave energy.
rocks absorb wave Often used for Expensive to transport if Little maintenance cost
energy to protect the recreation -fishing, had to be brought from a so it is more sustainable
coast. Permeable sunbathing. Can longer distance. than other structures that
barrier to the sea add interest to the incur high costs.
breaks up waves & coast.
allows water to pass Defence against
through. coastal erosion.
Revetments Sloping wooden, Relatively Erosion at base of the cliff Can increase shoreline Norfolk
concrete, rock inexpensive to can cause structural recession- needs to
structures placed at build. failure- needs ongoing extend the revetment to
the foot of a cliff. A beach can build maintenance costs. cope with increasing
They dissipate wave up behind the Limited effectiveness in wave attack in the LT.
energy. revetment & storm conditions. Not very sustainable in
provide further & LT unless actions to
provide further reduce consequences
protection for the are effective.
cliff.
Offshore Partly submerged Built of rocks- Hard to maintain large An effective permeable Plymouth
breakwaters rock barrier to break absorbs wave breakwaters. Does not barrier. Eventhough it can
up the waves before energy, protects stop the coast being be displaced easily by
they reach the coast. shoreline- reduces eroded- only slows waves, it is easy to repair
erosion by erosion. & it protects the shore.
changing wave Doesn’t absorb all energy
direction - reduces due to gaps between the
longshore drift. breakwater.
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