Do sea walls prevent beach erosion?
Sea walls are a potent symbol of the struggle between man and nature. Once considered triumphs of engineering know-how, these manmade barriers against the ocean have faced increasing controversy in recent years. Although sea walls are designed to prevent beach erosion, many experts claim they have detrimental side effects, sometimes causing more erosion than they prevent. “Sea walls may or may not deserve the bad reputation they have,” says Ole Madsen, professor of civil and environmental engineering, who claims that attitudes about sea walls are seldom based on solid science. “We need a better general understanding of how sea walls work before we can make rational decisions about whether they provide any solution to coastal erosion,” he says, adding that this will take a great deal more research to accomplish. The problem has grown in recent years as more people have moved to coastal areas. More than one-half of the national population now lives and works within 50 miles of the coastl
