Hard Engineering How It Works Advantages Disadvantages

Method

Photo 1 - Sea walls They are often They are usually built They are expensive
curved which means along the base of to build, are visually
waves are reflected. cliffs to prevent intrusive and the cost
erosion and flooding. of maintenance is
high.

Photo 2 - Groynes They are barriers, They prevent They are not
usually made from sediment from attractive and are
wood, built at right moving by the expensive to build
angles to the beach longshore drift. and maintain
to trap sediment.

Photo 3 - Revetments They are wooden or They are cheaper They are not suitable
concrete slatted than other methods when wave energy is
barriers placed at the and have less visual high
top of beaches to impact
protect the base of
cliffs when the waves
break against them

Photo 4 - Offshore They are large Beaches and cliffs They can be
breakwaters concrete blocks and retain their natural unattractive and
boulders located appearance expensive
offshore to reduce
the power of waves
or change their
direction to reduce
longshore drift.

Soft Engineering How it works Advantages Disadvantages

Method

Photo 1 - Beach It involves replacing It is cheap and Dredging of sand and

nourishment beach material that preserves the natural shingle increases
has been removed by appearance of the erosion in other areas
erosion and beach and may affect the
longshore drift, and natural environment
creating higher and
wider beaches by
transporting sand and
shingle sometimes
from off-shore

Photo 2 - Managed This is when areas of Eroded material People such as

retreat coast are allowed to encourages the farmers lose their
erode and flood, development of land
usually in areas beaches and
where the land is of saltmarshes and the
low value. natural environment
is not destroyed