Lithodynamics of the coastal zone

Abstract

The history of human civilization is directly linked to the social and technological state of the access to the sea, which ensured two very important aspects of the activity: Trade and access to resources. On the other hand, the economic development of the shoreline depends on the protection from adverse natural processes such as storm waves or sediment motions. The development of coastal infrastructure is related not only to the current state of economy but also to its future state. The integration of accumulated knowledge led us to the creation of the lithodynamics science, which comprehensively studies the dynamics of the coastal zone. Despite the obvious successes, some problems of the coastal zone dynamics remain that require a deeper physical understanding. This Chapter describes the main problems remaining in the investigation of coastal zones and gives an analysis of poorly studied physical processes and mechanisms.