Coasts Page

EROSION – TRANSPORTATION - DEPOSITION

 There are four main processes by which the sea can
erode a coastline. These are:

•  Hydraulic pressure (sometimes called hydraulic action) 

This is the sheer force of the waves especially when they trap and
compress air in the cracks and holes in a cliff.
• Corrasion / Abrasion
This happens when the waves hurl particles, for example small
pebbles, at cliff surfaces.
• Attrition
This occurs when the waves causes rocks and pebbles on the beach to
smash into each other and break down in size, eventually forming
sand.
• Corrosion/ Solution
This happens when certain types of cliff are slowly dissolved or
decomposed by the acids in the sea water.
Pure energy……...
 Factor in the development of coastlines
WAVES
• These are really a transfer of
energy not a movement of water
until the wave breaks
• They are caused by the friction of
air passing over the water. The
stronger the wind the greater the
friction the bigger the wave.
• FETCH ~ the distance an energy
wave travels and the direction it
comes from is called the FETCH.
E.g. The fetch of the West coat of
Britain is about 3500 km whereas
the fetch of the east coat is only
about 500 km. The greater the
fetch, the larger the wave.
 WAVES
Factor in the development
of coastlines

• Water particles move in an orbital pattern. As the water

comes in contact with sea bottom when it gets shallower
the lower section of the circular motion slows down, but
the top section continues at the same speed. The wave
becomes elliptical, top-heavy and then over balances; the
wave breaks and the energy is released
• SWASH ~ the wave travelling up the beach
• BACKWASH ~ the wave travelling back down the beach.
• Waves are responsible for most erosion and deposition
A wave cycle
Factor in the development
of coastlines
CONSTRUCTIVE WAVES
• ~ Usually in the Summer. These are low energy
waves. They deposit materials and build
beaches.These are wave with a long wave length,
low in height. The swash travels a long way up
the beach, but much of the water soaks into the
beach before it runs back. There is little
backwash. Sediment getting pushed up the beach
gets left behind.
Factor in the development

DESTRUCTIVE WAVES
of coastlines

• ~ Usually winter. These are high energy waves.

They have more power and can remove the sand
from a beach very quickly. The most destructive
waves occur during storms. These are waves with
a short wave length, high with steep slopes. This
prevents a good swash, but encourages a very
strong backwash. Sediment gets dragged off the
beach.
 Factor in the development
of coastlines
CURRENTS TIDES
• This is a flow of •The tides themselves cannot
water. They are erode, but the AMPLITUDE,
able to prevent a the difference between the
high and low tide points.
build up of
deposition and can •The AMPLITUDE controls
remove and carry the amount of shoreline
sediment but do exposed to erosion.
not erode rocks.
Factor in the development

NATURE OF THE COASTLINE

of coastlines

• DISCORDANT coastline ~ the “grain” or geology of

the coast is the opposite to the coast.

But the
geology
runs
West to The
East coastline
Chalk runs South
to North
 This is the
resulting
headland
of the
“Foreland”,
made of a
band of
more
resistant
chalk.

Stacks ~ Old Stack and arch

Harry

Wave cut platform

 Resistant
Headland with
Caves, arches,
stacks and
stumps
Chalk Ridge
Hills results in
cliffs

Clay Vale Bay forms in

less resistant
clay

Headland of
resistant
Limestone Ridge limestone
Factor in the development
of coastlines
NATURE OF THE COASTLINE
•CONCORDANT coastline ~ the “grain” or geology
of the land is running parallel to the coast.

•Upland or lowland ~ resulting in cliffs or coastal plain.

Lulworth Cove
 Lulworth Cove Aerial Photo

Chalk

Limestone
Sand & Clay
Lulworth Cove formed behind the breach
in the Limestone
 Geology
Factor in the development
of coastlines

• Small scale ~ • Large scale ~

joints, cracks and different rock
intrusions types affect the
speed of erosion
• Medium scale ~ because of their
bedding planes – structure and
lines of separation resistance.
between two types
or layers of • Bedding plane angle
sedimentary rocks. ~ this is important
(Common in chalk because the angle
and limestone). of the cliff relates
to it.
Factor in the development
of coastlines

Bedding plane angle

Vertical bedding plane = steep cliff Horizontal plane = steep cliff with
and vertical collapse. undercutting of the strata and
vertical collapse.

Dipping plane toward the sea = gentle

cliffs, often with stepped or
rotational slumping.
Factor in the development
of coastlines

• Changing Sea
Levels ~ this
causes
erosion and
deposition to
occur at
different
heights eg.
Abandoned
stacks,
raised
beaches
Factor in the development
of coastlines

• MAN ~ building sea walls, breakwaters,

harbours, groynes, and reclaiming land will all
affect the amount and rate of erosion and
deposition.

Note wider beach this

side of the groyne.
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