Coastal Landforms – How Geology controls coastal features in the Swanage Area?
… head, which is sticking as well as there being Durlston bay. All these landforms are there even though the whole section of rock is made up of the same type of rocks (limestone). Starting at Studland Bay the rock type over there is mainly sands and gravel, and this type of rock is softer and so it’s easier to erode by processes such as hydraulic action or abrasion. In hydraulic action water is forced into cracks or weaknesses and as the water goes into the hole it compresses the air inside and so it builds up the pressure inside and this causes the rock face to break down. In corrosion it’s the pounding of the pebbles and stones, carried by the waves, which are thrown up against the cliff face causing bits of the cliff to cheap and break way. Since the sands are quite a lot softer it means …
