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Coastal Structures Descriptions
Why Build Coastal Structures?
| Coastal structures are constructed in an effort to protect either the beach or other shore from erosion by typical and storm driven waves, currents and increased water levels. They are often built to protect the infrastruture (buildings, roads etc.) that exist behind beach and other shores in developed areas. |
What Types of Coastal Structures are There?
What Type Goes Where?
| hey type of structure |
Coastal Structures like Groins and Breakwaters are people-made versions of nature-made structures like reefs and headlands!!!
Nature-Made Reef: submerged coral structure that waves break on Headland: part of the land that sticks out into the water and can trap sand or block waves.
People-Made (Anthropogenic) Groins: structures built perpendicular (at a right angle) to the shoreline. Groins can trap sand moving alongshore and also stop sand from leaving. Works like a headland!
Breakwater: Structures built parallel to the shoreline but out in the water away from the beach. Breakwaters trap sand behind them and also stop waves from breaking on the beach. Works like a reef!
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi