This study was concerned with shoreline change and cliff recession. Galicia (north-west Spain) comprises a very energetic and diversified coast. The study focused on the analysis of the coastal dynamics and the spatio-temporal changes of coastal morphology for the years 1956, 2003, 2006 and 2008, using the digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) extension. Estimation of the rates of erosion and accretion along the pilot site (Fisterra/Finisterre area) was performed. In addition, a continuous coastline along Galicia was integrated into a geographical information system project which comprises an interactive database with key information. A coastal susceptibility map (erosion/accretion) was created based on the DSAS results for the short-term approach and cross-checked with knowledge of the area in terms of geology, geomorphology and landslide occurrences. Aspects related to the engineering solutions, land-use planning or environmental management were considered in the recommended strategy, as well as the impact and disturbance severity analysis for each action used. This research was developed to provide useful information about the Galicia territory and to give reliable data for the coastal management plan supported by the council. Such plan addresses some changes to the coastal policy and encourages future issues.

This work deals with the problem of assessing armourstone structures focusing on strengthening the combination of geo-marine techniques and geotechnical properties. The research has two main purposes: (i) to establish an integrative coastal geo-engineering approach for better assessment of the hydraulic structures; and (ii) to draw attention to the importance of quarry evaluation in order to improve armourstone quality and durability. Several studies have demonstrated the relevance of a holistic approach to coastal design issues. The suggested approach couples GIS-based mapping with geo-engineering techniques assessment along five pilot sectors of the Espinho coastal system in Northwestern Portugal. This investigation allowed us to propose zoning a coastal structure according to its degree of deterioration, geomechanical properties and geomaterial status. Replacement of the primary armour layer in only selected sections or components of the structure will reduce the cost of maintenance, repair and reinforcement work. All the gathered data about the preservation status of the armour layer and the quarry inventory have been compiled in a powerful GIS geo-database. The paper argues for the wider use of combination of coastal geo-engineering and GIS analysis in planning the monitoring and/or maintenance of marine works using armourstone.

Shoreline change in the Espinho area (northwest Portugal) is a chronic problem. The present study takes advantage of geographical information system (GIS) tools to contribute to the knowledge of the geologic and geomorphological dynamics of the Espinho shoreline. A GIS-based monitoring project was compiled, which gathers information on all coastal works located along the Espinho shoreline, focusing especially on construction, monitoring, and repair aspects. Shoreline change was analyzed using the ArcGIS extension “Digital Shoreline Analysis System” (DSAS) to understand this important aspect of coastal management. This work also emphasizes the importance of geotechnical assessment of coastal protection structures in diagnosing their degree of damage and/or deterioration so that one can plan more efficient maintenance works. Our results indicate a general trend of erosion to the south and accretion to the north of the Espinho coastal area. Geoengineering characterization of the Paramos groin defines three main zones for the armor block materials (i.e., Zones I, II/III, and IV), which show, respectively, very low, medium to high, and low deterioration levels.