Definition
A rocky coast is one “that is cliffed and yet composed of consolidated material irrespective of its hardness” (Sunamura 1992, p. 2), i.e., it ranges from very hard rock coasts (e.g., granite, basalt) to soft cohesive fluvial or glacial deposits, and they represent some 75% of the world’s coastlines. Erosion on such coasts is irreversible and is a function of wave energy and rock strength (Fig. 1). They are usually high, and consequently there is an inherent danger for injury or even death to coastal visitors, so good signage is important (Fig. 1).
The Glamorgan Heritage Coast, UK
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References
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Williams, A., Pranzini, E. (2018). Rock Coasts. In: Bobrowsky, P., Marker, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12127-7_315-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12127-7_315-1
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