Coastal engineering combines oceanography and engineering to solve structural and environmental problems along coasts. It involves understanding wave activity, erosion, and navigation to protect coastlines and create artificial harbors. Environmental issues and property values are also considered. Coastal engineering has been practiced for thousands of years.
Coastal engineering addresses structural and environmental engineering problems along coasts, where constant wave action creates a dynamic environment. It combines an understanding of oceanography and the processes underpinning shoreline formation with the engineering, study of construction and maintenance of structures in a variety of environments. People in this field may work on tasks such as securing ports, rehabilitating coastlines, and constructing buildings that will be able to withstand harsh conditions near the coast. They can work for government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofits, and private companies.
A thorough knowledge of the coasts is important for this discipline. Professionals need to know how the ocean affects its surroundings and how the external ocean floor can affect wave activity, including storm surges, tsunamis and other anomalous events. They also study the geology and surrounding landforms to track the erosion process and collect data on coastal sites. This information can be important if engineers are preparing to protect a beach so that people can use it for crafting or preparing to build a port.
Environmental issues are a topic of interest in coastal engineering. People may be concerned with preserving the natural environment for human enjoyment, which may include the rehabilitation of polluted or damaged coastline. Property values may come under scrutiny in areas where erosion eats away at the shoreline close to homes, requiring protective structures to insulate buildings and roads from damage. Coastal engineers carefully study environments to determine the best measures to take.
Navigation is another area of paramount importance. Engineers work to keep coastal waters navigable, which can include dredging canals, cutting trenches, and maintaining port and port facilities. They may reshape part of the coastline to create an artificial harbor, which may require additional protective walls and other structures to maintain its new shape. Coastal engineering work may require consideration of needs such as trade and efficiency in developing structures.
The ability to shape and control coastlines has been important to a number of human civilizations for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence indicates that coastal engineering may be among the oldest engineering disciplines, as shipping companies often made modifications to their coastlines to improve safety and seaworthiness. These included installing wharves for docking, using breakwaters to control waves, and digging beaches to create harbors to protect ships from high seas and provide an environment for the unloading of goods and people. Some relics of early coastal engineering efforts can be seen in parts of China and the Mediterranean Sea.
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