Coastal Protection Management

- Types of Approaches:
o Hard Engineering (Structural)
The construction of physical structures to defend against erosive power waves
o Soft Engineering (Non-Structural)
Focuses on planning and management so that both coastal areas and properties
will not be damaged by erosion
Aims at changing individual behavior or attitudes towards coastal protection by
encouraging minimal human interference
- Hard Engineering Measures
o Seawalls
Built along the coast to absorb the energy of waves before they can cause
erosion
They can be made of concrete, rocks, or wood
They are especially effective in protecting cliffs from erosion
However, they cannot prevent the backwash of the refracted waves from
washing away beach materials beneath the walls
This undermines the base of the seawalls and they collapse
Seawalls are costly to build and maintain
o Breakwaters
It can be built with one end attached to the coast or away from the coast
They 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
Materials deposited behind the breakwater are protected but the zone located
away from the breakwater is not
It will not receive new supplies of materials and it will get eroded away
o Groynes
They are built at right angles to the shore to prevent long shore drift
They absorb or reduce the energy of waves and cause materials to be deposited
on the side of the groynes facing the long shore drift
However erosion can occur at places not protected by it
o Gabions
They are wired cages fill with crushed rocks
They are piled up along the shore to prevent or reduce coastal erosion by
weakening the wave energy
They are a short-term solution (5-10 years)
The cages require regular maintenance and are easily corroded by sea water,
trampling, and vandalism
If not maintained, the wire baskets can be unsightly and dangerous along the
beach
- Soft Engineering Measures
o Beach nourishment
Coastal Protection Management
The constant replenishment of large quantities 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 sand to fill up the beach and sufficient
sand is needed
Sand being eroded and transported away by waves and wind and can affect
wildlife e.g. coral reefs at Waikiki Beach in Hawaii
o Relocation of Properties
No building of properties are allowed in coastal areas vulnerable to coastal
erosion
The east coast of England has a green line policy that discourage building
located beyond it
With the danger of increasing sea levels due to global warming, relocation is
important to future coastal management
o Planting of Mangroves
Mangroves with their prop roots help trap sediments and reduce coastal
erosion
As mangrove communities grow seawards, they extend the coastal land
seawards
o 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 in the process
o Growth of Coral Reefs
Artificial reefs can be created by placing environmentally friendly and long-lived
materials like steel or concrete on the sea floor
Once the material is put in place, living organisms start to grow on it
Man-made reefs are as productive as natural reefs in enhancing fishing
opportunities and serve as undersea barriers to reduce impact of wave energy