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Groynes are designed to slow down longshore drift and build up the beach. They are wooden barriers built at right angles to the shore prevent the movement of beach material along the coast by longshore drift. They allow the build up of a beach which are a natural defence against erosion and an attraction for tourists. The disadvantages are that they can be seen as unattractive and costly to build and maintain.
A breakwater is often used to protect a harbour but may be used to protect a stretch of coastline, usually made out of concrete or blocks if stone. They have to be strong enough to take the full force of the waves. Since they have to be built in deep water they are, like sea walls, expensive to build.
The gabion is a metal cage filled with rocks stacked to form a simple wall. They are used to protect a cliff or area in the short term only, since they are easily damaged by powerful storm waves and the cages tend to rust quite quickly. Gabions have the advantage of ease of use and are relatively cheap but their life span is short.
A cheaper alternative to sea walls is the revetment. This is a sloping feature which breaks up and absorbs the energy of the waves but may let water and sediment pass through. The disadvantages are that it only protects against erosion and that have a negative impact on the sediment along the shoreline and it decreases the release of sediments.
The sea wall is the more traditional 'hard' defence used to protect coasts. Sea walls have a slope and curved top which breaks up the energy of the wave and prevents water going over the top of the wall during heavy storms. Sea walls are very expensive but should last 20-30 years. Another disadvantage is that they increase the backwash therefore the beach can be eroded away very quickly.