Strategies used to protect coastlines

• What are hard engineering schemes designed to do?

  They are designed to reduce wave energy or create a barrier between the land and sea.
• How do soft engineering strategies differ from hard engineering strategies?

  Soft engineering works with nature rather than against it and blends in with the environment.
• What are some examples of soft engineering strategies listed in the specification?

  • Beach nourishment
  • Reprofiling
  • Dune regeneration
• What is the purpose of beach nourishment?

  It replaces beach or cliff material that has been removed by erosion or longshore drift.
• What coastal management techniques are shown in Figure 13?

  Rock groynes, rip rap or rock armour, and regraded cliffs.
• What is the function of groynes in coastal management?

  They stop material being moved along the beach by longshore drift and help build up sand on the updrift side.
• What happens immediately downdrift of the south groyne?

  Cliffs are being rapidly eroded due to starvation of beach sediment.
• What is one benefit of groynes for local communities?

  They create a wider beach, which can be popular with tourists and boost the local economy.
• How long can groynes last if well maintained?

  Up to 40 years.
• What is rip rap or rock armour made of?

  Massive blocks of natural rock piled up at the base of a cliff.
• What is the purpose of rock armour?

  It protects the base of the cliffs from erosion by dispersing wave energy.
• What is a potential drawback of rock armour?

  Some slumping still occurs, questioning its effectiveness.
• How does cliff regrading increase stability?

  By reducing cliff slope angles and re-vegetating to reduce erosion.
• What are gabions used for in coastal management?

  They are wire cages filled with rocks used to support a cliff or provide a buffer against the sea.
• What is one benefit of gabions?

  They are cheap to produce and flexible in design.
• What materials are sea walls typically made from?

  Concrete, steel, and/or stone.
• What is one benefit of sea walls?

  They effectively protect cliffs from erosion and prevent flooding.
• How do sea walls affect sediment movement?

  They do not impede the movement of sediment downdrift.
• What are some other hard engineering strategies besides sea walls?

  • Revetments
  • Offshore barriers
  • Reefs
• What is beach reprofiling?


  It is the artificial re-shaping of a beach using existing beach material.
• What is dune regeneration?

  It is the artificial creation of new sand dunes or restoration of existing dunes.
• What are some disadvantages of soft engineering strategies?

  Areas can be left at the mercy of the sea, and gentle interventions may not be effective.
• What are the overall assessments of hard engineering strategies?


  • Effective solutions that reassure coastal communities
  • Expensive to install and maintain
  • Can have detrimental effects further along the coast