COASTS: Hard & Soft Engineering

Question 1

What do groynes do? Hard/soft?

Answer 1

Break waves and slow down LSD. Built perpendicular to coastline. HARD

Question 2

What do rock bunds/rip rap do? Hard/soft?

Answer 2

Row of rocks along beach to absorb wave energy. Allows build up of a beach. HARD

Question 3

What do gabions do? Hard/soft?

Answer 3

Steel mesh cages filled with small rocks. Absorb wave energy. HARD

Question 4

What do revetments do? Hard/soft?

Answer 4

Wooden/concrete, absorb wave energy, still allow flow of sediment. Built at base of cliffs. HARD

Question 5

What do offshore bars do? Hard/soft?

Answer 5

Rows of boulders built to break waves before they reach the beach, to reduce wave energy significantly. HARD

Question 6

What does beach replenishment do? Hard/soft?

Answer 6

Pumping sand/shingle back onto beach to replace eroded material. SOFT

Question 7

What does beach reprofiling do? Hard/soft?

Answer 7

Changing shape of beach so that it absorbs more energy and reduces erosion. SOFT

Question 8

What does replanting vegetation do?

Answer 8

Planting resistant plants e.g. grasses to help stabilise low lying areas. SOFT

Question 9

What does beach recycling do? Hard/soft?

Answer 9

Moving material from one end of beach to other end to counteract LSD. SOFT

Question 10

Advantages of HARD engineering? (5)

Answer 10

• Reduces wave energy.
• Don’t have to control them.
• Rock armour looks natural.
• Groynes are usually cheap.
• Sea walls protect land and buildings behind.

Question 11

Advantages of SOFT engineering? (4)

Answer 11

• Work with natural processes.
• Based on protecting/preserving beach and environment.
• Less expensive.
• More natural looking.

Question 12

Disadvantages of HARD engineering? (6)

Answer 12

• Eye sores, unattractive.
• Expensive, usually between £3-8 million per km.
• Not always environmentally friendly.
• Wooden structures rot.
• Cost of maintenance is high.
• Groynes prevent sand from moving along coastline, causing build up.

Question 13

Disadvantages of SOFT engineering? (3)

Answer 13

• Requires on going maintenance.
• Maintenance can become expensive.
• Not sustainable where areas are very developed (would need hard engineering instead/also).

Question 14

What are the 4 Shoreline Management Plans? (SMPs)

Answer 14

1. Hold the line
2. No active intervention
3. Managed retreat
4. Advance the line

Question 15

What does a sea wall do? Is it hard or soft eng?

Answer 15

Protects cliff from erosion, as it reflects wave energy. HARD