InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society > Student Materials > Coastal Protection and Mitigation > Coastal Protection Using Hard Structures > Disadvantages of Hard Structures
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: December 7, 2016

Disadvantages of Hard Structures

While hard coastal structures can be the most effective option for flood protection and/or mitigation, or for stabilizing a shoreline at a fixed position, there is a price to pay. Hard structures partially hinder the recreational use of the coastal zone and can cause adverse ecological effects within the coastal zone. For example, when seawalls are constructed on eroding beaches, the erosion continues so that the beach in front of the seawall can become very narrow or disappear completely. And while groins and jetties trap sediment on the updrift side resulting in shoreline accretion, there is corresponding shoreline erosion on the downdrift side due to the interruption in longshore transport. Some of the disadvantages of hard structures include:

- Visual impacts

- Horizontal and vertical access restrictions

- Loss of sand supply to beach from armoring backshore

- Placement losses with construction of revetment or seawall

- Passive Erosion

- Active Erosion


These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »