Coastal Engineering

By Nicole Jade Dayo

Seawall built to protect community in Banganga, Davao Oriental | Department of Public Works and Highways

The shoreline is the line that separates the land surface from the surface of a body of
water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. The coastal zone is the land and water area that
surrounds the shoreline and extends far enough landward and seaward to include places where
key shoreline activities are occurring. Coastal engineering is a branch of civil engineering that is
responsible for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of works along coastlines.
A competent coastal engineer must get a basic understanding of the characteristics and
physical behavior of the coastal environment, as well as the ability to apply engineering ideas
and concepts to discovering possibilities and solving issues in this setting.
Environmental issues, coastal problems

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 Globally, 200 million people live on coastal floodplains, and about $1 trillion worth of
assets lie within 1 meter of mean sea level. Over 1.2 billion people live within 100 kilometers of
the coast and fewer than 100 meters above mean sea level, the area most immediately
impacted by rising sea levels. Around 200 million people live on coastal floodplains, and about
$1 trillion in assets are within 1 meter of mean sea level. Over 1.2 billion people live within 100
kilometers of the coast and fewer than 100 meters above mean sea level, the area most
impacted by rising sea levels (Marone et al, 2017).
Tropical cyclones (hurricanes) originate over warm oceans (at least 26 degrees Celsius),
primarily in the western hemisphere where there are no cold currents. The related storm surge
and storm waves, in addition to the wind and rain, have a considerable impact. These have
resulted in significant loss of life, especially in low-lying, highly populated coastal areas like
Bangladesh and China. Tsunamis are a unique phenomenon that is frequently linked to subsea
earth movements. Their speed and height, on the other hand, can cause enormous coastal
destruction with little warning and at a great distance from their source.
River runoff and load- The flow of fresh water and entrained materials to the coastal
zone has been drastically altered as a result of human activity. The discharge to the coastal area
has decreased to a small fraction of the natural flow in some desert regions where freshwater is
diverted for agriculture. Because the seasonal discharge pattern has been drastically altered,
the concern is water management in other places.
Groundwater discharge into the coastal water-, Groundwater, like surface water, flows
downhill. As a result, wherever a coastal aquifer is connected to the sea, groundwater runs
directly into the ocean. Furthermore, artesian aquifers can stretch for long distances beneath
the continental shelf from the shore. In some situations, the underlying confining strata of
these deeper aquifers may have fractures or other breaks, allowing groundwater to flow into
the sea. Groundwater runs into the sea and contributes to marine pollution if they are polluted.
Coastal Processes
Coastal processes are inevitable occurrences driven by nature and amplified by human action.
They cause damage to the shoreline through coastal erosion, submersion and saltwater
intrusion.
 Waves are coastal processes which are caused by wind. The friction between the wind
and the surface water produces wind-driven or surface waves. The repeated disruption
created by wind blowing across the surface of the ocean or lake forms a wave crest.
Waves softly surge along the coastline face during the summer. Sediment is carried by
the swash. The swash slows, loses speed, and slips back down to the water's edge. The
backwash dips into the sand to some extent. Because the backwash has less force to
push sediment down the beach, the beach grows as a summer berm develops. Summer
beach profiles are wider and have a more moderate slope. Storm waves convey a lot of
energy during stormy months, which helps to suspend sediments.
  Tides are caused by the sun and moon's gravitational effect on the oceans. The
relationship between the Sun, Earth, and Moon varies every four weeks as the moon
circles around the Earth. The sun, earth, and moon are all aligned during full and new
moons. The gravitational and centrifugal forces of the Moon and Sun collide at these
times, resulting in spring tides. During the lunar month, the spring tides have the highest
high tides and lowest low tides, or the biggest tidal surge. The sun, earth, and moon
create a right angle throughout the first and last halves.
 Sea level rise - Since the end of the last ice age, 19000 years ago, sea levels have
increased 120 meters. The ice caps have decreased, allowing water to flow back into the
sea, while the waters have warmed and expanded. Globally, sea levels are rising at a
pace of 2mm each year. Even though the rise is insufficient, it aids in the acceleration of
coastal erosion.
 Coastal Flooding occurs when storms hit a cost during spring tide. Storms brought on by
low pressure systems may cause a significant storm surge.
 Crustal Movement the deformation of the earth's crust due to tectonic movement. It
has the potential to create earthquakes, which could result in tsunamis that inflict harm
to coastal areas nearby.
Hazards Caused by Coastal Processes
Coastal Erosion - wearing away of the land by the sea.
 Corrasion is a phenomenon in which waves pick up beach materials and deposit them
on a cliff.
 Abrasion is commonly known as the sandpaper effect, because it breaks waves which
contain sand and larger fragments eroded to the shoreline or headland.
 Hydraulic it is when the waves hit the base of a cliff air is compressed into the cracks.
When the wave retreats the air rushes out of the gap, often this causes the cliff material
to break away.
 Attrition it is when waves cause rocks and pebbles to bump into each other and break
up.
 Corrosion/Solution is when certain types of cliff erode as a result of weak acids in the
sea.
Submersion occurs when the amount of sediment exceeds wave ability to transport like the
narrow strips of sand, pebbles, or cobbles deposited along a shoreline.
Seawater Intrusion is the movement of seawater into freshwater aquifers due to natural
processes or human activities. This is caused by the decrease in groundwater level or by rises in
seawater levels.
References:
https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190699420.001.0001/
oxfordhb-9780190699420-e-34
HAZARDS CAUSED BY COASTAL PROCESSES / EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE / SCIENCE 11 - MELC 19 - YouTube
What is Coastal Engineering? - YouTube
Environmental Problems & Issues: COASTAL & MARINE ZONES - YouTube