Combating Coastal Erosion in Civil Engineering

Coastlines are an environmental landscape that are susceptible to change. And because of this, these same regions may be subject to land loss. So, how do civil engineers mitigate this risk?

Before anything, one must first begin to analyze the causes of this coastal erosion. There are many natural forces that cause this erosion, such as waves, wind, and ice. This leads to the movement of sand and other coastline materials to other areas. Along with this, coastlines are subject to large amounts of human traffic. This leads to humans displacing similar coastline materials, and eventually depletes these coastlines.

Also, to investigate risk mitigation of such coastlines, one must analyze the effects of such erosion. The main risk of this erosion is the deterioration of coastal communities, with pieces of rock being eroded from the coastlines, the houses and structures near this coastline are at risk of destabilization.

One form of protection is a seawall. With this structure, the risk of wave erosion is evaded. There are many kinds of seawalls (vertical, curved, stepped) that each have a different function. While certain seawalls are meant to reflect the waves, some only absorb some of the forces from the waves. Also, cost is a large factor in installing these structures, which leads to the common usage of rubble mounted seawalls, which are regarded as the most versatile and cheapest form of seawall.

Another structure that can be used is an artificial reef. Such reefs are placed away from the coastline itself, and underwater. And despite being underwater, artificial reefs can disrupt the energy from waves. Also, this simultaneously creates new environments for marine life to live in, further enhancing surrounding areas.

Also, breakwaters, which are installed in the middle of the water, can further reduce this force. However, using breakwaters may interrupt existing environments. When this interruption of the natural environment poses a large threat, floating breakwaters may be installed (which do not interrupt the environment but absorb less force). The option of a breakwater is a good one particularly in areas with concentrations of boats, where stable currents are a necessity.

There are many different options to mitigating the risk of coastal erosion. With a variety of marine environments, erosion causes, and available resources, engineers need to be mindful of which structure to implement, and decide which one can most effectively protect the environment within and surrounding the coastline.