Hard Engineering and Soft Engineering

Question 1

What is hard engineering

Answer 1

Building artificial defences, usually out of concrete, to interrupt natural processes or to reduce the energy of the waves to lower their impact on the coastline

Question 2

Name an advantage for hard engineering

Answer 2

Lasts for a long time

Question 3

Name disadvantages for hard engineering

Answer 3

Expensive and can create eyesores.

Question 4

What is soft engineering

Answer 4

Takes a more natural approach allowing processes to work and land to change in a more environmental sustainable way.

Question 5

Name advantages for soft engineering

Answer 5

Tends to be cheaper than hard engineering and is environmentally friendly

Question 6

Name a disadvantage for soft engineering

Answer 6

Often needs replacing

Question 7

What is the technique ‘sea wall’

Answer 7

A wall made out of a hard material like concrete that reflects waves back to sea

Question 8

Name advantages to ‘sea wall’

Answer 8

prevents erosion and is a big barrier to flooding

Question 9

Name disadvantages to ‘sea wall’

Answer 9

Creates a big backwash, which erodes under the wall and they are very expensive and hard to maintain

Question 10

What is the technique ‘rip-rap’

Answer 10

big boulders piled up (rock armour) its like a sea wall which lets water through and absorbs it

Question 11

Name advantages of ‘rip-rap’

Answer 11

By absorbing wave energy, it reduces erosion + flooding as well as it being fairly cheap

Question 12

Name disadvantages to ‘rip-rap’

Answer 12

Boulders can be moved by waves, so need replacing and no material to replenish beaches, gradually lowering the beaches

Question 13

What is the technique ‘Beach Nourishment’

Answer 13

sand and shingle from elsewhere (e.g from the seabed) or from lower down the beach and are added to the upper parts of the beach

Question 14

Name advantages to ‘beach nourishment’

Answer 14

Creates wider beaches, slowing the waves and has a greater protection from flooding and eroding

Question 15

Name disadvantages of ‘beach nourishment’

Answer 15

can kill organisms like coral, very expensive and has to be repeated

Question 16

What is the technique ‘managed retreat’

Answer 16

Removing an existing defence allowing the land to flood this land becomes marshland which then protects the land behind from flooding and erosion

Question 17

Name advantages of ‘managed retreat’

Answer 17

Cheaper in the long run, doesn’t need maintaining and marshland provides new habitats for animals and plants

Question 18

Name disadvantages of ‘managed retreat’

Answer 18

Areas to flood can cause disagreements like flooding fields, affecting farmers live-li-hood and saltwater damages existing ecosystems

Question 19

What is the technique ‘groynes’

Answer 19

Wooden or stone fences thar are built at right angles to the coast, trapping material transported by long shore drift helping to build up at the beach

Question 20

Name advantages of ‘groynes’

Answer 20

Creates wider beaches which slow the waves - protecting the land from flooding and erosion, fairly cheap.

Question 21

Name disadvantages of ‘groynes’

Answer 21

Starve beaches further down the coast of sand, making them narrower. Narrow beaches don’t protect the coast as well, leading to greater erosion and floods.