An erosive Sicilian beach: a multidisciplinary approach to study the coastal dynamic effects

Abstract

In recent decades, Mediterranean beaches have undergone a radical transformation due to significant population growth. The anthropogenic pressure of these coastal areas is linked to the development of commercial zones, the expansion of tourism-related activities, and the corresponding growth of the road network. The increase in all these activities has encouraged rapid expansion, often occurring under inadequate urban and environmental planning. As a result, several coastal areas are nowadays complex systems in which the evolution of the beach is driven by two main forces: natural processes (sediment transport, waves, tides, etc.) and coastal engineering (ports, groynes, breakwaters, river dams, etc.). The Sicilian coastline extends for 1,400 km; about 395 km are natural and/or human-altered beaches. This research focuses on a beach located on the southern Sicilian coast which was affected by severe coastal dynamics due to anthropogenic changes affecting both the emerged and submerged beach areas. The objective of this study was to analyse the dynamics of this beach by means of an interdisciplinary approach; thus, by integrating various techniques from different disciplines