When people attempt to stop natural processes, what type of engineering is being used?

When people attempt to stop natural processes along coastlines, they are employing hard engineering techniques. Hard engineering refers to the use of solid structures, such as sea walls, groynes, and dams, designed to directly control natural processes like erosion, flooding, and sediment movement. These structures are often made from concrete, steel, or stone, providing a strong and durable response to environmental forces.

The primary goal of hard engineering is to create significant barriers that protect infrastructure and land from the relentless impact of waves and storms. While effective in the short term, these solutions can lead to various unintended consequences, such as increased erosion in adjacent areas and disruption of natural habitats.

In contrast, soft engineering focuses on more sustainable methods to manage coastlines, utilizing natural systems and processes to mitigate issues rather than attempting to eliminate them outright. Natural engineering refers to approaches that may involve working with natural features without the use of constructed barriers, while coastal architecture pertains more to the design of buildings and structures along the coast, rather than the methods of managing coastal processes.