Coastal Erosion

Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land or the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave
action, tidal currents, wave currents, or drainage (see also beach evolution). Waves, generated by
storms, wind, or fast moving motor craft, cause coastal erosion, which may take the form of
long-term losses of sediment and rocks, or merely the temporary redistribution of coastal
sediments; erosion in one location may result in accretion nearby. The study of erosion and
sediment redistribution is called 'coastal morphodynamics'. It may be caused by hydraulic action,
abrasion, and corrosion.

On rocky coasts, coastal erosion results in dramatic rock formations in areas where the coastline
contains rock layers or fracture zones with different resistances to erosion. Softer areas become
eroded much faster than harder ones, which typically result in landforms such as tunnels,
bridges, columns, and pillars.

On sedimentary coasts, coastal erosion typically poses more of a danger to human settlements
than it does to nature itself. Dunwich, the capital of the English medieval wool trade, disappeared
over the space of a few centuries due to redistribution of sediment by waves. Human interference
can also increase coastal erosion: Hallsands in Devon, England, was a coastal village that was
washed away overnight, an event possibly exacerbated by dredging of shingle in the bay in front
of it.

The California coast, which has soft cliffs of sedimentary rock and is heavily populated,
regularly has incidents of housing damage as cliffs erode. Damage in Pacifica is shown at left.
Devil's Slide, Santa Barbara and Malibu are regularly affected.

The Holderness coastline on the east coast of England, just north of the Humber Estuary, is the
fastest eroding coastline in Europe due to its soft clay cliffs and powerful waves. Groynes and
other artificial measure to keep it under control has only sped up the process further down the
coast, because longshore drift starves the beaches of sand, leaving them more exposed.
Wave action - basic
The four main types of wave action are:

 Hydraulic action occurs when waves striking the cliff face compresses air in cracks on
the cliff face. This puts tremendous pressure on the surrounding rock. The air then
expands explosively, forcing out pieces of rock. Over time, the cliff face crack grows,
sometimes forming a cave. The rock from the cliff face which was removed falls to the
bottom of the sea bed and is used for another further wave action.

 Attrition occurs when the sea grinds rocks together, causing them to become smoother
and reduced in size. As the sea rocks (scree) from side to side it moves the scree causing
pieces of scree to collide with other pieces of scree thus causing them to become reduced
in size, smoothed and rounded. As well as colliding with other scree, the scree also
collides with the cliff face base causing pieces of rock to break off the base of the cliff
face contributing to this wave action and to corrasion (abrasion).

 Corrasion (abrasion) occurs when the waves break on the cliff face pounding the cliff
face and slowly eroding it. As the sea pounds the cliff faces it also uses the scree from
 other wave actions to batter and break off pieces of rock from higher up the cliff face
which can be used for this same wave action and to attrition.

 Corrosion or solution occurs when the sea's pH (anything below pH 7.0) corrodes the
rocks on the cliff face. Usually the cliff faces to be greatly eroded in this manner are
limestone cliff faces, which have a high pH. The rocking action of the sea also increases
the rate of reaction by removing the reacted material.

Wave action - extra detail

The ability of waves to cause erosion of the cliff face depends on number of factors, including:

 The hardness or ‘erodibility’ of the rocks exposed at the base of the cliff
o The key factors in determining erodibility include the rock strength and the
presence of fissures, fractures, and beds of non-cohesive materials such as silt and
fine sand.
 The rate at which cliff fall debris is removed from the foreshore
o Debris removal from the foreshore is dependent on the power of the waves
crossing the beach. This energy must reach a critical level or to remove material
from the debris lobe. On many cliffs debris lobes can be very persistent and may
take many years to completely disappear.
 The presence/absence of a beach at the cliff base.
o Beaches dissipate wave energy on the foreshore and can provide a measure of
protection to the cliff from marine erosion.
 The stability of the foreshore, or its resistance to lowering
o Lowering of the beach or shore platform through wave action is a key factor
controlling the rate of cliff recession. If the beach is not lowered the foreshore
should widen and become more effective at dissipating the wave energy, so that
fewer and less powerful waves reach the cliff.
 The adjacent bathymetry
o The nearshore bathymetry controls the wave energy arriving at the coast, and can
have an important influence on the rate of cliff erosion.
 The supply of beach material in the coastal cell from updrift
o The provision of updrift material coming onto the foreshore beneath the cliff
helps ensure a stable beach.