RT journal article
T1 An integrated approach to coastal erosion problems in northern Tuscany (Italy): Littoral morphological evolution and cell distribution
A1 Anfuso Melfi, Giorgio
A1 Pranzini, E
A1 Vitale, G
A2 Ciencias de la Tierra
K1 Littoral
K1 Erosion
K1 Cell
K1 Human-made structures
K1 Tuscany
K1 Italy
AB Occupation of the coast has significantly increased in recent decades, mostly due to a greater demand forrecreation and tourism. Today, erosion threatens many human-made structures and activities, requiring anintegrated approach for the understanding of coastal dynamics and identification of alternatives to associatedproblems. This study investigates a 64 km-long coastal physiographic unit in the northern microtidal littoralof Tuscany (Italy). Vertical aerial photographs and direct field surveys were used to retrieve changes inshoreline position over 1938–1997 and 1997–2005 time intervals. Significant beach accretion was observedduring the first period updrift of Carrara (84 m) and Viareggio (280 m) harbours and at Marina di Pietrasanta(100 m), whereas severe erosion occurred downcoast of Carrara harbour (−130 m, at Marina dei Ronchi) andon the northern side of Arno river mouth (−400 m). Similar trends were observed between 1997 and 2005;beach slope between the 1997 shoreline position and the closure depth correlated well with the distributionof erosion/accretion patterns from the 1938–1997 period (slopes were lower in eroded areas than at sitesunder accretion). Longshore distribution of erosion/accretion patterns was controlled by coastal compartmentalisation.Three of the main littoral cells were mostly formed by natural limits (i.e., Punta Biancapromontory, Marina di Pietrasanta, the Arno river mouth and the port of Livorno). Several sub-cells werecreated within these cells due to the introduction of human-made structures (such as Carrara and Viareggioharbours), which formed artificial fixed limits that allowed the transport of sediments (exclusively fines) inone direction only. Results will help improve the understanding of coastal processes and manage littoralsediment transport in a sustainable manner. This will reduce the need for structural interventions, such asbreakwaters and groynes, which in the past decades prevented coastal retreat at local scale but shifted erosiondowndrift, leading to degradation of the investigated area and requiring continuous maintenance.
PB Elsevier
SN 0169-555x
YR 2011
FD 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/15907
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/15907
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 14-nov-2026