Hard engineering

• What does hard engineering coastal management involve?


  Building artificial structures to control natural processes
• What is the primary purpose of sea walls?


  To protect settlements or lands of high economic importance from the sea
• How do recurved sea walls function?


  They reflect waves back on themselves
• What is a social advantage of constructing sea walls?


  They provide a sense of safety and security to locals
• What is an economic advantage of sea walls?


  They tend to have a long lifespan
• What is an environmental advantage of sea walls?


  They do not restrict the movement of sediment along the coast
• What is a social disadvantage of sea walls?


  They can restrict access to the beach
• What can occur when waves overtop a sea wall?

  Coastal flooding can occur
• What is a major economic impact of sea walls?

  They are very expensive to construct and maintain
• How do reflected waves affect the beach?


  They scour the beach and cause foundations to be undermined
• What are some environmental impacts associated with sea walls?

  They can increase erosion of beach material and destroy cliff habitats
• What is rock armor?

  A barrier made up of large boulders placed in front of a cliff or sea wall
• What is a social benefit of using rock armor?


  Access along the beach is not restricted
• What is an economic advantage of using rock armor?

  It is much cheaper than constructing a sea wall
• How quickly can rock armor be built compared to sea walls?


  It can be built in weeks rather than months
• What is an environmental benefit of using rock armor?


  It does not impede sediment movements along the coast
• What is a social disadvantage of using rock armor?


  Access to the beach can be restricted
• What is a significant environmental impact of rock armor?


  It looks unattractive and needs to be quarried
• What are gabions?


  Wire meshed cages filled with pebbles or rocks
• How do gabions function in coastal management?


  They absorb and dissipate wave energy as water enters the cages
• What is a social advantage of gabions?


  They do not restrict access to people walking along a beach
• How long can gabions last?


  20 to 25 years
• What is a social disadvantage of gabions?


  They can restrict access to a beach
• Why are gabions restricted to sandy beaches?


  Material thrown at them on shingle beaches would quickly degrade them
• What is a disadvantage of damaged gabions?


  They are very dangerous
• What are groins?


  Wooden barriers constructed at right angles to the beach
• How do groins help manage beach material?


  They retain beach material trapped between them
• What is a social benefit of using groins?


  They do not restrict access to the beach
• What is an economic advantage of using groins?


  They are relatively cheap and can last 40 years
• What is a disadvantage of groins in terms of beach material?


  Beaches down drift are starved of beach material
• What is a social disadvantage of groins regarding beach access?


  They form a barrier that impedes people walking along a beach
• What is an environmental disadvantage of groins?


  They disrupt natural coastal processes