What Structures Prevent Beach Erosion?
Various engineered structures are used to combat beach erosion and protect coastal areas.
Structures specifically designed to reduce erosion include seawalls, revetments, bulkheads, groins, and breakwaters. These structures aim to either block incoming wave energy, trap sand movement, or stabilize the shoreline.
Here's a look at the structures utilized to help prevent or minimize beach erosion:
- Seawalls: Constructed parallel to the shoreline, typically stout and tall, they act as a barrier to protect land and infrastructure from direct wave impact and flooding, especially during high tides or storms.
- Revetments: These are sloped structures, often made of rock or concrete armor units, built along the shoreline or toe of a dune or cliff. They absorb and dissipate wave energy, protecting the land behind them from erosion.
- Bulkheads: Essentially retaining walls built along the shoreline, often made of timber, steel, or vinyl. They are used to hold back the soil and prevent the upland area from collapsing onto the beach.
- Groins: Long, narrow structures built perpendicular to the shore and extending into the water. Their primary function is to trap sand transported by waves and currents (longshore drift), widening the beach on the side the sand comes from.
- Breakwaters: Structures built offshore, parallel or angled to the coast. They create a calm water zone behind them by blocking or reducing the force of incoming waves, which can lead to sand deposition and beach widening in the sheltered area.
As noted in considerations for coastal erosion, structures like seawalls, revetments, bulkheads, groins and breakwaters may reduce erosion in the short-term, providing essential protection for coastal development and natural landscapes.
