Coastal Defences

The book presents the broad spectrum of methods that engineers use to protect the coastline and investigates the sorts of issues that can arise as a result.
There cannot be many people who have not visited the coastline and witnessed the problems of erosion or changes brought about by tides and waves. When such problems occur, coastal engineers usually remedy the problem by using a new set of structures to stop erosion, or increasingly by other means, such as the placement of sediment on the affected beach. However, such methods only treat the symptoms, not the causes. These "solutions" can also create additional problems, which will need addressing in the future. "Coastal Defences" aims to present the broad spectrum of methods that engineers use to protect the coastline and investigates the sorts of issues that can arise as a result. The first section of the book examines "traditional" hard techniques, such as sea walls and groynes, whilst the second looks at the more recent trend of using techniques more sympathetic to nature. These "soft" techniques, such as beach feeding and managed realignment, may work more harmoniously with natural processes, but still produce some environmental impacts. By looking at each of the main methods of coastal protection in detail, the book investigates the rationale for using each method and the conse