ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY COASTAL PROTECTION STRUCTURES THE ENDLESS STRUGGLE OF THE ENGINEER AGAINST WATER, WAVES AND EROSION - OPENING ADDRESS -

摘要

Major parts of the world population live and work at or near coasts (Fig. 1) which are subject to constant attacks from short-term and long-term changing water levels, storms, waves and currents. Together with geomorphologic and seismic activities such attacks result in permanent changes of coastlines. While nature reacts quite flexibly to such variations and changes, humans attempt to maintain its position. In doing so, tools and methods have been developed over centuries to fight against the sea and fix the coastline or even extend it, Fig. 2, Growing coastal populations and metropolitan areas with increasing industrial complexes and infrastructures demand protection against the hazards from the sea, i.e. the action of the coastal engineer.