Beach Response to the Presence of a Seawall; Comparison of Field Observations

Abstract

Coastal protection structures have historically been the most common approach to dealing with the problem of shoreline erosion in the United States. Three potential effects of these structures have been identified and include: (a) impoundment or placement loss, (b) passive erosion, and (c) active erosion. The first two are relatively straightforward and predictable for the most part, whereas the third has been the subject of considerable discussion and debate but, until recently, has not been systematically investigated in the field. Four years of monitoring beaches adjacent to seawalls along the central California coast have allowed documentation of the seasonal beach changes that take place in response to the presence of seawalls, and also evaluation of some of the physical processes that influence these changes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA237709

Entities

People

  • Gary B. Griggs
  • James F. Tait

Organizations

  • University of California, Santa Cruz

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Beach Erosion
  • California
  • Civil Engineering
  • Climate Change
  • Coastal Engineering
  • Construction
  • Earth Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Geography
  • Grain Size
  • Littoral Drift
  • Ridges
  • Riprap
  • Sea Level
  • Sea Level Rise
  • Storm Surges

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science
  • Geology

Readers

  • Coastal and Marine Engineering/Sediment Transport/Hydraulic Engineering
  • Systems Analysis and Design