Sea Walls
Advantages: > They are effective in protecting the cliff from further erosion and act as a barrier to protect the shore from flooding. Disadvantages: > They are large, ugly structures that are not appealing for seaside. > Sea walls are very costly and need constant maintenance to prevent them from failing when needed. > They create a strong backwash which erodes underneath the wall, bringing their sustainability into question. |
Revetments
Advantages > They are normally successful at protecting the cliff from erosion. > They are relatively cheap and easy to maintain - much less maintenance is required than is needed for sea walls. Disadvantages > They are very expensive to create in the first instance. > They are an eye sore and a blot on the landscape. |
Rip Rap
Advantages > No mesh used to keep rocks in place which gives them a more natural and appealing look that blends much better into the environment. > They are a cheaper solution to deflecting wave energy then installing expensive sea walls. Disadvantages > Due to nothing holding the rocks in place, they are susceptible to movement from time to time by the action of the waves. |
Gabions
Advantages > They are fairly cheap to construct and can make use of recycled material. For example, at Hornsea there have been Gabions constructed using old railway lines. Disadvantages > They are not very attractive with the cage or mesh not fitting in with the surrounding environment. > Gabions are not very effective in protecting the cliff, with movement of the large rocks and boulder within the mesh. |
Groynes
Advantages > Groynes are a fairly low cost and low maintenance form of hard engineering with very effective outcomes in the locality where they are constructed. Disadvantages > With the use of groynes, there is one rather large downside to this form of coastal management. > As material continues to be transported through longshore drift beyond the groynes, much of the beach is lost. As the sand is trapped behind the structures, there can no longer be replenishment of the rest of the coast. > This eventually leaves the rest of the coast beyond the protected area with little or no protection from the sea, causing further issues for more coastal management. |