Explain how hard engineering manages coastal erosion

Question (6 marks): Explain how two hard-engineering strategies can be used to manage coastal erosion. Refer to a located example.

Mark scheme (levelled, 0–6):

• Level 1 (1–2): One strategy named with limited explanation; no location.
• Level 2 (3–4): Two strategies named and explained; one located example.
• Level 3 (5–6): Two strategies fully explained with mechanism + located example + evaluation of effectiveness.

Indicative content:

• Sea wall (e.g. Borth, Ceredigion): concrete recurved wall reflects wave energy back to sea, reducing hydraulic action on the cliff. Cost ~£6,000/m; 50-year lifespan.
• Groynes (e.g. Borth): timber/rock barriers perpendicular to coast trap sediment moving by longshore drift, widening the beach and dissipating wave energy before it reaches the cliff.
• Evaluation: protects property but causes terminal groyne syndrome — sediment starvation downdrift (e.g. erosion accelerated south of Borth groyne field).