Coastal Management

Coastal Protection Management

Differentiate between hard engineering methods and soft engineering methods of coastal
management
Evaluate the success of coastal protection measures

What are the hard approaches and soft approaches to coastal management?
1. Hard Engineering (structural approach)
The construction of physical structures to defend against erosive power of
waves
2. Soft engineering approach (non-structural approach)
Focuses on planning and management so that both coastal area and properties
will not be damaged
Aims at changing behavior toward coastal protection by encouraging minimal
human interference

Hard Engineering Measures

1. Seawalls
Built along the coast to absorb the energy of waves before they can cause erosion
Made of concrete, rocks or wood
Effective in protecting cliffs from erosion
Costly to maintain
Take the brunt of the wave

2. Breakwaters
Built with one end attached to the coast or away from the coat
Break the force of high energy waves before they reach the shore
When constructed offshore, it can create a zone of calm water behind them and
allow deposition to occur, forming beaches
Not receive supplies of material and it will get eroded away
Materials behind the breakwater are protected but the zone located away from the
breakwater is not

3. Groins
They are built at right angles to the shore to prevent longshore drift
Absorb and reduce the energy of waves and causes materials to be deposited on
the side of the groin facing the longshore drift
However, erosion can occur at places not protected by it

Soft Engineering Measures

1. Beach Nourishment
The constant replenishment of large quantiles of sand to the beach system
The beach is extended seawards, which leads to the improvement of beach quality
and storm protection
It is costly to transport large quantities of sands to fil up the beach and sufficient
sand is needed
Sand is eroded and transported away by waves and wind and can affect wildlife
2. Relocate Properties
No building of properties is allowed in coastal area vulnerable to costal erosion
The east of England has a green line policy that discourage building located
beyond it
With the dangers of increasing sea levels due to global warming, relocation is
important to future coastal management
3. Planting or mangroves
Mangroves with their prop roots help trap sediments and reduce coastal erosion
As mangroves communities grow seawards, they extend the coastal land seawards

4. Stabilizing dunes
Access points to the beach should be controlled and designated so as not to be
disturbed by human traffic
Shrubs and trees can be planted to stabilize them
Roots of trees reach downwards to tap groundwater and anchor the sand on the
process

5. Growth of coral reefs

Artificial reefs can be created by environmentally friendly and long-lived
materials like steel or concrete on the sea floor
Once the material is placed, living organism start to grow

Man-made reefs are as productive as natural reefs in enhancing fishing

opportunities sand serve undersea barriers to reduce impact of wave energy