Hard engineering Flashcards
Hard engineering
Implemented infrastructure to protect against erosion and flooding
What is hard engineering used for in SMPs
Hold the line, advance the line, managed realignment
Hard engineering pros
Put in place and effective quickly, durable, more specific control
Hard engineering cons
Ugly, expensive, disrupts other areas (SMPs mitigate)
Groynes
Timber/rock structures perpendicular to the coast that trap sediment moved by longshore drift
Groyne cost
£5000-£10000 each at 200m intervals
Groyne pros
Work with natural processes, protects land behind so tourism, not too expensive
Groyne cons
Ugly, starve beaches further along
Sea wall
Stone/concrete walls at top of beach, usually recurved to reflect waves
Sea wall cost
£6000/m
Sea wall pros
Effective prevention, often promenade above
Sea wall cons
Reflect not absorb wave energy, ugly, expensive building and maintenance
Rock armour (rip rap)
Large rocks forming a permeable barrier breaking up waves and absorbing energy
Rock armour costs
£1000-£3000/m
Rock armour pros
Relatively cheap and easy to construct and maintain, often used for recreation e.g. fishing
Rock armour cons
Ugly, foreign rocks (Norway), dangerous to climb
Revetments
Sloping wood/concrete/rock structure at top of beach to break up wave energy
Revetment costs
Up to £4500/m
Revetment pros
Relatively inexpensive
Revetment cons
Intrusive, high maintenance
Offshore breakwater
Partly submerged rock barrier breaks up waves before reaching coast
Offshore breakwater costs
£1000-£3000/m
Offshore breakwater pros
Effective permeable barrier
Offshore breakwater cons
Ugly, may be a navigation hazard
Gabions
Mesh cages filled with rocks that break up waves and absorb energy
Gabion costs
£1000-£3000/m
Gabion pros
Relatively cheap
Gabion cons
Easy to break, traps animals, dangerous, ugly
