There are two types of waves

Waves as strong as these only

occur in severe storms. They
can cause terrific damage to
coastal settlements as well as
causing a lot of erosion.
The amount of erosion which takes place depends upon:
The strength of the waves
The strength of the rock
Constructive waves lead to
the formation of beaches.
Beaches are the most
common feature of
deposition.
What processes shape
our coastline?
What
processes
shape the
coastal
zone?
Weathering
processes
Mass
movement
Coastal
processes
Weathering
processes
Weathering is the
disintegration of rocks in
their original place
Freeze-thaw is particularly
effective in the coastal zone
if the rock exposed is
porous and / or permeable.
The rocks are broken down in situ,
which means that no movement is
involved, unlike erosion which is caused
by the movement of water, wind and ice.

Rock fall - Beachy Head, East Sussex, 12/1/99
During an exceptionally wet
period the chalk rock became
saturated with water. Long
periods of frost weakened the
rock leading to several dramatic
rockfalls along the south coast of
England.
Mass Movement
Mass movement is the
downhill movement of
material under the
influence of gravity
Both mass movement and
weathering provide an input of
material to the coastal system.
Much of this material is carried by
the waves to be deposited
elsewhere along the coast.
Hydraulic Action
Abrasion
Solution
Attrition
When waves throw beach
material at the cliff
When eroded material is
broken down into smaller pieces
Pressure from air trapped in cracks
causes rocks to break
Limestone & chalk react with the sea
which is a weak acid.
What processes are at work to create this landscape?
Abrasion
Attrition
Hydraulic action
Solution
Freeze-thaw
weathering
Solution Biological
weathering
Headlands
and Bays
Cliffs and wave
cut platforms
The waves attack the base of the cliff through the processes
of hydraulic action, abrasion, and solution.
Over time the cliff will be undercut and a wave-cut notch is
formed.
Eventually the cliff becomes unstable and collapses. Further
cliff retreat will leave a rocky wave-cut platform.
Wave-cut platform
Wave cut platform
Wave cut platform
cliffs
Caves, arches and stacks
Marsden Rock in 1984
Marsden Rock
Coastal Erosion
Flamborough Head
Boulder clay
Hull
Spurn Point
Former
coastline
Europes fastest eroding coastline
North Sea
R.Humber
Headland
Cliff
Arch
Wave cut platform
Stump
Crumbling
boulder
clay cliffs
Rotational
slump
North Sea
River Humber
Spurn Point
This movement of sediment along the
coastline is called longshore drift.
Direction of movement
swash
backwash
Backwash is always at
right angles to the beach
Coastal Processes - TRANSPORTATION
Beaches
Spits Bars
Beaches
Beaches are accumulations
of sand and shingle found
where deposition occurs
along the coast.
Sandy beaches are often
found in sheltered bays,
where they are called
bay head beaches
Pebble beaches tend to form where
cliffs are being eroded and where
there are high energy waves.
As constructive waves build up beaches, they often form
ridges in the beach known as BERMS. The berm highest up
the beach represents the extent to which the water has
reached during high tide.

BERM
A spit
A spit is a long narrow finger of sand or shingle jutting out into
the sea from the land
Spits only develop in
places where:
Longshore drift
moves large amounts
of material along the
coast.
There is a sudden
change in the
direction of the
coastline.
The sea is
relatively shallow
and becomes
progressively
more sheltered.
Hull
R.Hu
The Formation of Spurn Point
Erosion of the coastline
north of Spurn Point
Eroded material transported
by sea currents
Material dropped
where coastline
changes direction
Spit grows out
from coast as
more material
builds up.
End of spit curved
by action of the
waves
Former coastline
HULL
RIVER
HUMBER
A bar
Occasionally, longshore drift may cause a spit to grow right
across a bay, trapping a freshwater lake or lagoon behind it.
This feature is called a BAR. E.g. at Slapton Ley in Devon
Example:
The East Coast of Yorkshire
- The Holderness Coast
Causes of
cliff collapse
The cliffs along the
Holderness coastline are
made of boulder clay.
Apart from wave erosion,
weathering processes also
contribute to cliff
collapse.
Most cliff collapse occurs
during or after prolonged
heavy rain when water
seeps into the land surface.
It saturates the clay and
makes it heavy. The added
weight causes the clay to
move.
This causes landslides and
slumping to take place
along a slide surface.
Case study: The Holderness Coast of East Yorkshire









Barmston
Mappleton
Grange Farm, Cowden
Withernsea
Easington gas terminal
Effects of the cliff
collapse along the
Holderness Coast
Economic effects Social effects
Environmental effects Political effects
Economic effects Social effects
Environmental effects Political effects
Market value of properties
has fallen. Houses cant be
sold.

Properties cant be insured.

No compensation available so
people lose everything.

Loss of land and crops = loss
of farmers income
People lose homes, may have
to move into council houses.

Ill health is rising erosion
related stress, sleeplessness
and depression
Loss of land

Unsightly collapsed buildings

Debris from houses on the
beach.
Decisions made about which
communities are worth
protecting.

Cost of sea defences

Protests from angry residents
Effects of the cliff
collapse along
the Holderness
Coast
Describe the costs and benefits of two Soft methods of coastal
management. (4)
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Describe the costs and benefits of two Hard methods of coastal
management. (4)

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Shoreline Management Plans are being produced
around the whole coastline of England and Wales
to enable coastal engineers to identify long term,
sustainable policies for coastal defense.
Shoreline Management Plans identify the places
that are affected or threatened by flooding or
erosion. They state the likely cost of protection
work for such areas and test this against the
economic value of the land or property.
Managed
retreat
Hard
engineering
Soft
engineering
Costs and benefits of coastal management
- building artificial structures aimed at controlling
natural processes.
Sea Wall very strong
but expensive
Curved wall to deflect
the energy of the waves
back out to sea.
Groyne a timber barrier
at right angles to the beach.
It traps sediment carried by
longshore drift.
Disadvantage
wooden groynes will
eventually rot.
Rock armour or Rip rap
boulders placed
at the base of a cliff.
Relatively cheap and easy
to construct
Timber Revetments slatted
wooden barrier which allows
waves to pass through and
trap beach material behind .
No access to the beach and
they may rot.
Gabions wire cages filled
with stones. Cheap but ugly.
- a sustainable approach to managing the coast
without using artificial structures.
Beach nourishment
The addition of sand to an existing beach to make
it higher or broader. Attractive, but will wash away
again. Need groynes to keep it there.

Dune regeneration
Marram grass
is planted to
stabilise sand
dunes and help
them develop.
Walkways protect
dunes from damage
by trampling
Marsh creation
This involves
allowing low lying
areas to become
flooded by the sea to
become salt
marshes

Allowing controlled
flooding in low-lying
coastal areas
OR
Allowing cliff collapse
where the value of the
land and property is
low.
Mappleton
Sue Earles
farm,
Cowden
Withernsea
Location 1 - MAPPLETON
1. Why were the sea defences necessary?
2. What type of defences were built?
3. Were they successful? How do you know?
Examples of HARD ENGINEERING
Rock groyne
Rock armour
Rock armour
Location 2 - Grange Farm, Cowden
(Sue Earles farm!)
Location 2 - Sue Earles farm, Cowden
How did the sea defences at Mappleton affect this farm?
Why was the farm considered not worth saving?
.
WITHERNSEA a small seaside
resort
Location 3
Curved sea wall
Rock armour
Groynes
Why did the
council adopt a
different strategy
at each of these
locations?
CASE STUDY :

STUDLAND
Coastal areas provide a unique environment and habitat
Plant succession on sand dunes
Marram grass
PLANT SUCCESSION
Marram grass is the main
colonising species on sand
dunes. It is adapted to survive
in environments that offer
little water. The roots of these
pioneer plants stabilise the
sand, making it possible for
other species to move onto
the dunes.

Eventually the dunes are
covered in a dense growth of
marram grass. The extensive
root system that the grass
produces holds the dune in
place, and organic matter from
the grass's decaying roots and
stems increases the fertility of
the soil. This makes the
environment more favourable
for the growth of other plant
species.
Sand
Marram grass
Heath
Salt marsh
Dunes under pressure from trampling
A large blowout
Massive heath fire in Studland thought to be arson

Wednesday 14th April 2010

ARSONISTS are thought to
be behind a fire which
devastated 10 hectares of
protected heathland at
Studland.
The precious habitat
home to a number of
endangered species could
take up to 20 years to
recover.
The information centre and information boards help to educate the
public about the delicate environment, where to go and what is
acceptable.
There is parking provision for 2,500 cars. The design prevents
direct access to the beach.
Guidance for visitors spreads the pressure. Sandy soil is easily
worn down by trampling.
The main
paths near
the car
parking are
strongly
managed.

Near the car park -
boardwalks
Paths exposed to
the full force of
onshore winds are
kept as narrow as
possible.
An old path to the beach is regenerating behind the fence.
Visitors get a clearly signed alternative
Fire beaters are positioned within the
dune area in case of fire.
Rising sea level will have important consequences
for people living in the coastal zone
Why do sea levels
rise?
As average global
temperatures continue to
rise
the polar ice sheets and mountain glaciers
around the world are melting leading to more
water in the sea.
as the water in the sea gets
warmer it expands
The Maldives is a
small country made
up of over 1000
islands in the Indian
Ocean.
It is the lowest country
in the world. Its
highest point is only
2.4m above seal level.
Mal the capital of The
Maldives is surrounded
by a 3.5metre sea wall
Why are The Maldives and other small islands
particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels?
small size and low lying land make them vulnerable to storm
surges, tsunamis and hurricanes.
they are isolated and a long way from help.
they are poor, with limited natural resources and rising populations.
80% of the Maldives 1,200 islands
are no more than 1m above sea
level.

Within 100 years they could be
uninhabitable.
What are the options for the future?
IMMEDIATE MEDIUM TERM
LONG TERM
Develop improved higher coastal
defences.

Restore mangrove swamps
which trap sediment and build up
natural defences against the sea.
Build houses on stilts.

Create artificial islands to house
people from the outer islands
Evacuate to places which are
socially and culturally
compatible with the Maldivian
people such as Southern India or
Sri lanka.
Possible
impacts of
sea level
rise in The
Maldives
Economic impacts Social impacts
Environmental impacts Political impacts





Possible
impacts of
sea level
rise in The
Maldives
Economic impacts Social impacts
Environmental impacts Political impacts
Cost of sea defences e.g. the 3m
wall surrounding Mali.

Cost of repairs as the islands are
more susceptible to damage by
flooding e.g. the tsunami of 2004

Loss of productive farmland as salt
water contaminates the land.

Loss of income from upmarket
tourism after tsunami floods
Eventual loss of homes and relocation
will be necessary.

People worried by possible disasters
such as tsunamis and hurricanes,
which may bring loss of life.

Communities broken up as people are
relocated.


Increased rate of erosion likely.

Loss of land and habitats.

Damage to coral reefs and
mangroves.




Finance decisions e.g. how to pay for
flood defences.

Negotiations with other
governments over relocation of
population to places which are
socially and culturally compatible e.g.
India or Sri Lanka.