coastal protection

Question 1

what is hard engineering

Answer 1

man made structures using resistant materials to control natural processes

Question 2

what is soft engineering

Answer 2

natural materials and systems which work in conjunction with natural processes

Question 3

what are sea walls

Answer 3

giant curved concrete walls along a coastline

Question 4

positives of sea walls

Answer 4

attempt to reduce erosion and prevent flooding

deflect wave energy back to sea

Question 5

negatives of sea walls

Answer 5

require constant maintenance so they don’t fail

ugly - less tourist attraction

expensive - £200,000 - £500,000 per 100m

produce a backwash which undercuts the sea while eroding the beach

not very sustainable in long term - last 30 to 50 years

Question 6

what are groynes

Answer 6

low lying wooden walls that extend out to sea

used to capture sediment that moves down the beach via LSD

Question 7

positives of groynes

Answer 7

build a larger section of beach for areas experiencing coastal erosion

reduces wave energy protecting coastline from erosion and flooding

sandy beach provides a buffer between cliff and seas

Question 8

negatives of groynes

Answer 8

starves beaches down the coastline of sediment leaving them more susceptible to erosion as less sediment to act as a buffer

Question 9

what are gabions and rip raps

Answer 9

large boulders placed infant of cliffs

gabions have cage around boulders

Question 10

negatives of rip raps and gabions

Answer 10

expensive cost £100,000 to £300,000 per 100m

gabion cages rust after 10 years

Question 11

positives of rip raps and gabions

Answer 11

long lasting

decreases wave energy as gaps in boulders dissipate energy due to their large surface area

Question 12

what is beach renourishment

Answer 12

renourishes sediment of beaches that has been taken away due to erosion and LSD

Question 13

advantages of beach renourishment

Answer 13

creates a buffer between cliffs and sea, means decrease erosion and flooding

long term decrease in coastal retreat

used to protect financial areas

Question 14

disadvantages of beach renourishment

Answer 14

sand dredged from sea bed which can kill underwater habitats

can have high cost of £5,000 to £200,000

short term - 1 to 10 years

disruptive to roads due to trucks

disruptive to beaches - beaches close - decrease tourism

Question 15

what is land management

Answer 15

the protection and rebuilding of dunes

Question 16

positives of land management

Answer 16

act as a barrier against flooding and erosion

Question 17

negatives of land management

Answer 17

dunes must be left undisturbed

out of bounds to public - less access to beach - decrease tourism