Coastal Landscapes in the UK Flashcards
Dune regeneration
Find out more about soft engineering techniques.
The distance a wave has travelled.
Find out more about waves.
Gabions are coastal defences that consist of rocks and boulders encased in a wired mesh. They absorb the energy from waves.
Find out more about hard engineering at the coast.
Waves hitting the base of a cliff causes leads to air compression in cracks, joints and folds in bedding planes, causing repeated changes in air pressure. As air rushes out of the crack when the wave retreats, it leads to an explosive effect as pressure is released. This process is supported further by the weakening effect of weathering. The material breaks off cliffs, sometimes in huge chunks. This process is known as hydraulic action.
Find out more about coastal erosion.