Coastal Engineering

- is the practical application of diverse scientific knowledge in and along

coastal waters for the maximum economic benefit of mankind and with
regard for overall shoreline processes and respect for the tremendous
destructive forces of the sea.
- typically includes the development of structures, in addition to the
transportation and probable stabilization of beach sand along with other
coastal sediments.
Objectives of Coastal Engineering
- The objectives of these tasks involve management of shoreline erosion;
improvement of navigation channels and harbors; protection against
flooding brought on by storms, tides and even seismically triggered waves
(tsunamis); improvement of coastal recreation; and management of
pollution in nearby marine environments.

What might be the harmful effect of these?

- it may bring about destructive erosion, flooding, contamination of
agricultural soil and water level, and lost habitation for birds, plants and
fish. Fortunately for us, knowledge and understanding of coastal
engineering designs have prevented these catastrophes.

Functions and Responsibilities of Coastal Engineering

1. Erosion and Coastal Engineering

The majority of the world’s population lives near coastal areas, yet these prized
real estates are prone to the constant dangers of erosion. Erosion prevention and
the protection of the coastlines are major responsibilities of coastal engineering.
Coastal Engineers come up with structures of defense to protect against the
devastation attributed to either erosion or storm waves.
Some of the structures built by coastal engineers to protect against erosion are
Breakwaters, Seawalls, Groynes and Revetments.

2. Flood Control and Coastal Engineering

Coastal engineers develop defenses to preserve coastal residential areas from

the consequences of storm flooding. With adequately engineered and developed
defenses, the negative effects of the bad weather are reduced and therefore
flooding is averted.

3.Harbors and Coastal Engineering

Coastal engineers construct artificial harbors by installing breakwaters along

with other marine structures, generating a safe refuge for vessels, wherever no
natural harbor exists. These kind of artificial structures suck in the pressure of
the waves, repelling it from hitting the vessels anchored in the harbor.

4.Dredging Operations and Coastal Engineering

Coastal engineers are responsible for conducting dredging operations to retain a

secure route for the transportation of vessels into or away from waterways and
harbors. The functions and responsibilities of coastal engineering are crucial to
the protection of our coastal environment and the operation of our commercial
shipping industry.
Two common types of Coastal Engineering

1.Hard Engineering

Hard engineering - is a coastal management technique used to protect coasts, by

absorbing the energy of waves, preventing erosion and flooding. They are highly
visible man-made structures used to stop or disrupt natural processes. These
structures are expensive, short-term solutions and often they can have a negative
impact on the environment. Installing hard engineering structures in one coastal
location can have detrimental effects further down the coast.
Common Types of Hard Engineering
Seawall Groyne

Gabion Revetment
Coastal Barrage Rock Armour (RIPRAP)

Cliff Fixing
 2.Soft Engineering

Soft engineering works with nature to protect the coast rather than trying to stop
natural processes. It uses ecological principles and practices, therefore making
less of a negative impact on the natural environment. Soft engineering is less
expensive to implement and maintain, and creates more long-term, sustainable
solutions than hard engineering projects.
Common Types of Soft Engineering
Beach Nourishment Managed Retreat

Beach Stabilization Dune Regeneration

Afforestation of Coastal Dune Mangrove Preservation & Planting

Coral Reef Preservation & Enhancement

Long and short waves

The occurrence of wave phenomena – like sea waves, swell, tides and tsunamis –
require engineering knowledge of their physics, as well as models:
both numerical models and physical models. The practices in present-day coastal
engineering are more-and-more based on models verified and validated by
experimental data.
Apart from the wave transformations themselves, for the waves coming from
deep water into the shallow coastal waters and surf zone, the effects of the
waves are important. These effects include:

• the wave loading on coastal structures like breakwaters, groynes, jetties, sea
walls and dikes
• wave-induced currents, like the longshore current in the surf zone, rip
currents and Stokes drift, affecting sediment transport and morphodynamics
• wave agitation in harbors, which may result in harbor downtime
• wave overtopping over seawalls and dikes, which may e.g. threaten the
stability of a dike

Coastal engineering projects are designed relative to natural oceanographic and

geologic processes, and project requirements (e.g., beach nourishment, coastal
structures, dredging at offshore sand borrow sites) may result in adverse
environmental impacts relative to existing conditions.
Example Project of Coastal Engineering
Completed Project
Project Title:
Project Owner/Clients:
Date accomplished or started:
Location of Project:
Project Description & Purposes:
South Marco Beach & Structure Restoration
Collier County Coastal Zone Management
2010-2013
Marco Island, Florida
This project is in support of the original 1990-
91 beach renourishment project in which CEC
performed comprehensive services to search,
locate and identify sand resources and to
design and permit beach/dune restoration,
inlet navigation, coastal structures, and
ecosystem restoration.
Pictures of on-going Project
Picture of accomplished project
On-going Project
Project Title:
Project Owner/Clients:
Date accomplished or started:
Location of Project:
Project Description & Purposes:
Caminada Headland Restoration
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
2010--on-going
Caminada Rd, Grand Isle, LA 70358, United States
The goal of the Project is to protect and preserve
the structural integrity of the barrier shoreline of
the Caminada Headland which will reduce wave
energy and salt-water intrusion from the Gulf of
Mexico into back-barrier environments, consisting
of chenier ridges, intertidal marshes, and bays.
Restoration of these fragile habitats will protect
and sustain significant and unique foraging and
nesting areas for threatened and endangered
species. The restored barrier shoreline will provide
for reestablishment of hydrologic conditions,
ecosystem processes, and habitats while providing
a sediment source to sustain barrier beaches along
the Headland.
Pictures of On-going Project