    a seawall (or sea wall) is a form of coastal defense constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. the purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves.kamphuis, w j. (2010) introduction to coastal engineering and management. world scientific publishing co ltd. singapore. as a seawall is a static feature it will conflict with the dynamic nature of the coast and impede the exchange of sediment between land and sea.shipman, b & stojanovic, t. (2007) âfacts, fictions, and failures of integrated coastal zone managementâ in europe coastal management. vol. 35, issue 2, p375 - 398 . the coast is generally a high-energy, dynamic environment with spatial variations occurring over a wide range of temporal scales.allan, j c, kirk, r m, hemmingsen, m & hart, d. (1999) coastal processes in southern pegasus bay: a review â a report to woodward-clyde new zealand ltd. and the christchurch city council. land and water studies ltd. christchurch. the shoreline is part of the coastal interface which is exposed to a wide range of erosional processes arising from fluvial, aeolian and terrestrial sources, meaning that a combination of denudational processes will work against a seawall.fletcher c h, mullane r a & richmond b m. (1997) âbeach loss along armored shorelines on oahu, hawaiian islandsâ in journal of coastal research. vol. 13, no 3. p 209-215 given the natural forces to which seawalls are constantly subjected, maintenance (and eventually replacement) is an ongoing requirement if they are to provide an effective long-term solution. the many types in use today reflect both the varying physical forces they are designed to withstand, and location specific aspects, such as: local climate, coastal position, wave regime, and value of landform. seawalls are classified as a hard engineering shore based structure used to provide protection and to lessen coastal erosion. however, a range of environmental problems and issues may arise from the construction of a seawall, including disrupting sediment movement and transport patterns, which are discussed in more detail below.kraus, n & mcdougal. (1996) âthe effects of seawalls on the beach: part i: an updated literature reviewâ in journal of coastal research. vol. 12, no. 3. combined with a high construction cost, this has led to an increasing use of other soft engineering coastal management options such
Coastal_engineering Seawalls