Abstract
Coastal erosion is one of the most serious threats to the coastal environment, as it can cause a variety of problems, such as loss of properties, social problems and environmental disasters. The present paper examines the effect of coastal erosion due to both natural and human causes and proposes protection measures for low-tide coastal areas. First, the causes of coastal erosion and the regulatory framework for coastal zone management are presented. Among the measures taken to protect the coastal environment against the phenomenon of erosion that are examined in this study are (a) beach nourishment with no other shore protection structures, (b) beach nourishment combined with a floating breakwater, (c) beach nourishment combined with an artificial reef and (d) beach nourishment combined with a submerged breakwater. The aim of this work is to rank the alternative treatment approaches that deal with coastal erosion through a multi-criteria decision-making analysis. The theoretical background for the selected multi-criteria method, called PROMETHEE, is briefly presented in order to explain the classification of alternative approaches. Visual PROMETHEE Academic Edition software was used to rank the coastal protection methods and select the best ones. Through the analysis performed, beach nourishment combined with reef breakwater construction is found to be the most appropriate method to reduce erosion and protect the coast.
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Responsible Editor: Antonis Zorpas.
Guest Editors: Antonis A. Zorpas, Irene Voukkali, Iliana Papamichael.
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Gravas, M., Karambas, T., Zafeirakou, A. et al. Multi-criteria analysis of selected coastal protection measures in areas with a low tidal range. Euro-Mediterr J Environ Integr 7, 309–318 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-022-00311-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-022-00311-9