Relief of the UK Areas Types of Erosion Types of Transportation Mass Movement

+600m:
Relief of the UK The break down and transport of rocks – A natural process by which eroded material A large movement of soil and rock debris that
Peaks and
can be divided ridges cold, smooth, round and sorted. is carried/transported. moves down slopes in response to the pull of
into uplands and misty and gravity in a vertical direction.
lowlands. Each Attrition Rocks that bash together to Solution Minerals dissolve in water
snow Rain saturates the permeable rock above
have their own become smooth/smaller. and are carried along. 1
common. the impermeable rock making it heavy.
characteristics. i.e. Scotland Solution A chemical reaction that Suspension Sediment is carried along in
dissolves rocks. the flow of the water. Waves or a river will erode the base of the
Key Areas - 2
slope making it unstable.
200m: Flat Abrasion Rocks hurled at the base of a Saltation Pebbles that bounce along
or rolling cliff to break pieces apart. the sea/river bed. Eventually the weight of the permeable rock
Lowlands
hills. 3 above the impermeable rock weakens and
Warmer Hydraulic Water enters cracks in the cliff, Traction Boulders that roll along a collapses.
weather. Action air compresses, causing the river/sea bed by the force of
Uplands The debris at the base of the cliff is then
i.e. Fens crack to expand. the flowing water. 4
removed and transported by waves or river.
Formation of Coastal Spits - Deposition Types of Weathering

Weathering is the breakdown of rocks where

they are.
Example:
Spurn Breakdown of rock by
Head, Carbonation changing its chemical
Holderness composition. What is Deposition?
Coast. Formation of Bays and Headlands
Breakdown of rock without When the sea or river loses energy, it drops the
Mechanical changing its chemical sand, rock particles and pebbles it has been
carrying. This is called deposition. 1) Waves attack the
composition. Bay coastline.
1) Swash moves up the beach at the angle of the prevailing wind. Soft rock 2) Softer rock is eroded by
2)
3)
Backwash moves down the beach at 90° to coastline, due to gravity.
Zigzag movement (Longshore Drift) transports material along beach.
Unit 1c the sea quicker forming
a bay, calm area cases

Physical Landscapes in the UK

4) Deposition causes beach to extend, until reaching a river estuary. Hard rock deposition.
5) Change in prevailing wind direction forms a hook. 3) More resistant rock is
6) Sheltered area behind spit encourages deposition, salt marsh forms. left jutting out into the
Headland sea. This is a headland
and is now more
How do waves form? Mechanical Weathering Example: Freeze-thaw weathering vulnerable to erosion.
Waves are created by wind blowing over the surface of the Stage One Stage Two Stage Three Formation of Coastal Stack
sea. As the wind blows over the sea, friction is created - When the water
Water seeps freezes, it With repeated
producing a swell in the water.
into cracks and expands about freeze-thaw Example:
fractures in the 9%. This wedges cycles, the rock
Why do waves break? Old Harry
rock. breaks off.
apart the rock. Rocks,
1 Waves start out at sea.
Dorset
Size of waves Types of Waves
2 As waves approaches the shore, friction slows the base.
Constructive Waves Destructive Waves 1) Hydraulic action widens cracks in the cliff face
3 This causes the orbit to become elliptical. • Fetch how over time.
far the wave This wave has a swash that is stronger This wave has a backwash that is 2) Abrasion forms a wave cut notch between HT and
4 Until the top of the wave breaks over. has travelled LT.
than the backwash. This therefore builds stronger than the swash. This therefore
• Strength of 3) Further abrasion widens the wave cut notch to
up the coast. erodes the coast. from a cave.
the wind.
4) Caves from both sides of the headland break
• How long the through to form an arch.
wind has 5) Weather above/erosion below –arch collapses
been leaving stack.
blowing for. 6) Further weathering and erosion eaves a stump.
Coastal Defences

Hard Engineering Defences

Groynes Wood barriers Beach still accessible.

prevent No deposition further
longshore drift, down coast = erodes
so the beach faster.
can build up.

Sea Walls Concrete walls Long life span

break up the Protects from flooding
energy of the Curved shape
wave . Has a lip encourages erosion of
to stop waves beach deposits.
going over.

Gabions or Cages of Cheap

Rip Rap rocks/boulders Local material can be
absorb the used to look less
waves energy, strange.
protecting the Will need replacing.
cliff behind.

Soft Engineering Defences

Beach Beaches built Cheap

Nourishment up with sand, Beach for tourists.
so waves have Storms = need
to travel replacing.
further before Offshore dredging
eroding cliffs. damages seabed.

Managed Low value Reduce flood risk

Retreat areas of the Creates wildlife
coast are left to habitats.
flood & erode. Compensation for land.

Case Study: Holderness Coast

Location and Background

The Holderness Coastline is in the North of England. It has the fastest
coastal erosion in Europe. The coastline starts with stacks and
stumps at Flamborough Head, and culminates with Spurn head, a
large spit that runs across the Humber estuary.

Holderness Management Strategy

Mappleton: The village of Mappleton is
perched on a cliff top on the Holderness coast
with approx. 50 properties. In 1991 a £2
million coastal management scheme was
introduced - rock armour at the base of the
cliff and building two rock groynes.
Mappleton is no longer at risk from erosion.
The rock groynes have stopped material being
moved south but has increased erosion
further south.
Hornsea: Wooden groynes have been built as
well as beach nourishment. This has created a
wider beach to protect the cliff line, and adds
sediment into the coastal system (so areas
downdrift benefit).