Coastal Protection/ Defence SchemeT

Coastal Protection/ Defence SchemeThere are two approaches to the design of coastal defence schemes.The first is referred to as ‘soft engineering’ which aims to work in sympathy with the natural processes by mimicking natural defence mechanisms. Such an approach has the potential for achieving economies whilst minimizing environmental impact and creating environmental opportunities.The second is referred to as ‘hard engineering’ whereby structures are constructed on the coastline to resist the energy of waves and tides.Elements of hard and soft engineering are often used together to provide an optimal coastal defence scheme, for example, the combined use of beach feeding with groynes or breakwaters.