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.

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.

Rock fall - Beachy Head, East Sussex, 12/1/99

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

When waves throw beach

material at the cliff

Abrasion
Solution

When eroded material is

broken down into smaller pieces
Pressure from air trapped in cracks
causes rocks to break

Attrition
Limestone & chalk react with the sea
which is a weak acid.

What processes are at work to create this landscape?

Solution
Freeze-thaw
weathering

Biological
weathering

Solution
Abrasion

Hydraulic action

Attrition

Headlands
and Bays

Cliffs and wave

cut platforms

Wave-cut platform

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

cliffs

Wave cut platform

Caves, arches and stacks

Marsden Rock in 1984

Marsden Rock

Coastal Erosion

Europes fastest eroding coastline

Flamborough Head
North Sea

Boulder clay

Former
coastline
Hull
R.Humber

Spurn Point

Headland
Cliff
Stump
Arch

Wave cut platform

Rotational
slump

Crumbling
boulder
clay cliffs

Spurn Point

North Sea

River Humber

Coastal Processes - TRANSPORTATION

Direction of movement

Backwash is always at
right angles to the beach

swash
backwash

This movement of sediment along the

coastline is called longshore drift.

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.

BERM

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.

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.

The Formation of Spurn Point

Erosion of the coastline
north of Spurn Point
Eroded material transported
by sea currents
Former coastline
HULL

Hull
RIVER

R.Hu

Material dropped
where coastline
changes direction

HUMBER

End of spit curved

by action of the
waves

Spit grows out

from coast as
more material
builds up.

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

Economic effects

Social effects

Effects of the cliff

collapse along the
Holderness Coast

Environmental effects

Political effects

Economic effects

Social effects

Market value of properties

has fallen. Houses cant be
sold.

People lose homes, may have

to move into council houses.

Properties cant be insured.

No compensation available so
people lose everything.

Effects of the cliff

collapse along
the Holderness
Coast

Ill health is rising erosion

related stress, sleeplessness
and depression

Loss of land and crops = loss

of farmers income

Environmental effects

Political effects

Loss of land

Decisions made about which

communities are worth
protecting.

Unsightly collapsed buildings

Debris from houses on the
beach.

Cost of sea defences

Protests from angry residents

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 armour

Rock groyne
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?

Location 3

WITHERNSEA a small seaside

resort

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.

Marram grass

Heath

Sand

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
Develop improved higher coastal
defences.
Restore mangrove swamps
which trap sediment and build up
natural defences against the sea.

MEDIUM TERM
Build houses on stilts.
Create artificial islands to house
people from the outer islands

LONG TERM
Evacuate to places which are
socially and culturally
compatible with the Maldivian
people such as Southern India or
Sri lanka.

Economic impacts

Environmental impacts

Possible
impacts of
sea level
rise in The
Maldives

Social impacts

Political impacts

Economic 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

Possible
impacts of
sea level
rise in The
Maldives

Social impacts
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.

Environmental impacts

Political impacts

Increased rate of erosion likely.

Finance decisions e.g. how to pay for

flood defences.

Loss of land and habitats.

Damage to coral reefs and
mangroves.

Negotiations with other

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