Coastal Processes at East Coast Park Singapore free essay sample

An Investigation Into Coastal Processes At East Coast Park Introduction What is the aim ? To investigate the processes that shape the coastline of the beach at East Coast Park , Singapore. What is the hypothesis ? The hypothesis for this study was that â€Å"natural processes are the only processes shaping the coastline at East Coast Park† Where was the 0ieldwork carried out ? This ieldwork was carried out in the city state of Singapore .Located just 1? above the equator , , the nation is an island country in South East Asia surrounded by Malaysia, Indonesia and Borneo . East Coast Park itself is one of Singapore’s most frequented outdoor destinations . Miles of bicycle and walking paths , food courts , barbecue pits and man- ­? made Singaporean beaches await those who arrive here. These beaches have cement breakwaters along the coastline to reduce the effects of longshore drift. At East Coast Park , the two beaches from where we gathered data were Beach 22 ( AKA Beach 1) and a beach adjacent to BBQ Pit 65F( AKA Beach 2) . Data was taken at two separate points at each of these sites(A and B). Below is a map of these beaches and co- ­? ordinates of the sites. Co- ­? ordinates : B1A= 012748(red cross) B1B= 12748(red circle with dot) B2A= 012814(red cross) B2B= 012814(red circle with dot) Why was this hypothesis studied ? This hypothesis was studied to in order to enable its students to investigate the sheer scope of processes that affect the shape of a coastline . Having divided the hypothesis into natural and man- ­? made processes , the students were not enforced to have any restrictions on the processes they investigate and as a result , the students of the hypothesis would have ended up having a more complete knowledge of the processes affecting East Coast Park . Predictions for Coastal Processes East Coast Park’s beaches were built on land reclaimed from the ocean . This man- ­? made nature of the beach gives indication of the fact the man made processes should technically affect the beach as much , if not more , than the natural processes. Although the human impact has potentially been inluential at the beach , processes such as erosion, transportation, and deposition still take place at the beach and their predicted effects are discussed below. Singapore is an island surrounded by Malaysia in the north, Borneo in the southeast and Indonesia in the southwest. Albeit an island , it is pretty much locked in erms of the wind and therefore wave energy it can attract . The potential to attract wind and wave energy is instrumental in understanding the possible levels of longshore drift occurring at East Coast park . Longshore drift is a process wherein sediment is transported along the direction of the wind , and helps shape coastlines naturally the world over . Due to the lack of wind and wave energy from all of this energy having been intercepted through high altitudes in Borneo , Malaysia and Indonesia , longshore drift wouldnt have a major effect on the coastline of East Coast Park . Eroding and transporting rocesses could potentially have an effect on the shape of the coastline . Hydraulic action occurs when wave energy â€Å"pounds† on the coastline . Due to the low wave energy due to the lack of a major fetch coming into Singapore , this process will not affect the coastline. This process is not very relevant to East Coast as the beach is man- ­? made and there is very little or no wave energy. Abrasion is the physical wearing and grinding of a surface through friction of the load and the material carried in air and water. However, as the southeast of Singapore is surrounded by land in all directions, there is very ittle air and water movement, limiting the coastline to be shaped by abrasion. The East Coast Park beach is man- ­? made, and as a result the sea water may contain many chemicals which contribute to corrosion- ­? the chemical wearing down of the beach and the material in the water itself due to the acidity. However, attrition should not be evident as the water is very calm due to the lack of energy . As it is a man- ­? made beach, there is very little sediment and load in the sea. Sediment and load normally build up over time , and with the natural beaches we ;ind in the world , they have had millions of ears to have gotten to the stage where they are , and as a result have the amounts of sediment and load nearby as they do . For a beach built on reclaimed land in the 20th Century to be the same is highly unlikely , and this explains the potential transportation processes which will have an effect on the beach . Solution is a process by which the sediment is dissolved in the water and dries once on land . Due to the small nature of the particles , and the potential chemicals derived from the beach as a r esult of human intervention in building the beach , this process should be the most common transportation rocess found at East Coast Park . Also , solution , due to its dissolving nature , has very little effect in shaping the coastline. Suspension and Saltation are process wherein you the sediment is carried through the water . This is possible , and could effect the coastline at East Coast park , but not as much as Traction . Now traction has a pronounced effect on coastlines due the heavy and large nature of these stones , which when bumped into coastlines can cause erosion by attrition . But the very nature of these stones , large and heavy , will prevent it from having appeared in a relatively young beach ike those at East Coast Park . Recent news articles suggest the dangerous , receding nature of the coastline of East Coast Park’s beaches . For this reason , it is safe to predict that the waves found at the beaches along East Coast Park will be destructive in their nat ure . This is because destructive waves , as the names suggest , are erosional waves . Due to these waves having a stronger backwash than swash , they will take back sediment with them into the sea , and depending on the strength of the longshore drift at East Coast Park , will be carried on to other beaches . Due to the presence of oil tankers n Singapore’s East Coast , the wave energy will be further decreased this is evidence of a man made process having had an effect as a result of preventing the effect of wave energy and possible erosion on the East Coast shoreline. The breakwaters present at East Coast Park’s beaches are again potential evidence of man made processes affecting the shoreline . As the name suggests , these items would â€Å"break† the water , lessening the energy upon impact with the shoreline , and again reducing rates of erosion . Method Which coastal processes were measured and why ? Longshore Drift - ­? Longshore drift , as entioned pr eviously , is an integral coastal process. These results were collected to see where and how longshore drift was occurring . The direction and speed were observed to see if it affects the shape of the beach. For example, if the orange ;loated towards the South East direction, and the bearing of the wing was in a South East direction , we would know that longshore drift was following the fetch , and was not being intervened by any man- ­? made processes or constructions. Swash and Backwash - ­? This set of data was collected to see what types of waves were present at each site . After measuring he swash and backwash , it was evident whether the waves were constructive and of a depositional nature or destructive and causing erosion . If the swash we measured was larger than the backwash , we knew the waves were constructive and if the backwash was larger , we would know that the waves were destructive and therefore eroding away at the coastline of the beaches. Wavelength and Ampli tude - ­? This data was collected in order to determine the wave energy of East Coast Park. Due to Singapore’s proximity to land on all sides and the dominance of oil tankers along the coast , it was predicted that there ould be a low wave energy . Short wavelengths and high amplitudes would suggest a high wave energy as the horizontal energy is replaced by the vertical energy causing stronger wave crashes. Angle Of The Beach - ­? As the aim is to investigate the different processes shaping the coastline of East Coast Park, the beach pro;ile is necessary to show the change in gradient of a beach .A steep beach pro;ile would indicate the dominance of destructive waves and erosion. Similarly, subtle elevations indicate constructive waves and deposition . How were these processes measured ? Longshore Drift - ­? An orange as placed in water for 90 seconds(timed with a stopwatch) , and using a tape measure with 25cm segments , the distance it travelled was measured. A compas s was used to identify the direction in which LSD occurred. Swash and Backwash- ­? Done using a simple piece of apparatus known as the wavometer. A large protractor was loosely screwed onto a bamboo pole and each the marking were evident on this protractor after every measurement (which was taken when the crest hit the protractor for the swash , and when the backwash had completely gone back into the ocean) Wavelength - ­? A measurement was taken starting rom the time a crest of wave came into contact with the feet of the student measuring and ending when the next crest came into contact. The measurement was taken using a stopwatch. Amplitude - ­? A measurement was taken from the trough to the crest of a wave using a ranging pole with 50cm segments. Angle of the Beach - ­? The angle was measured from the water line till the end of the sand . At the start and end of this measurement , two ranging poles of 2m height were placed , and the angle from the one closer to sea to the pole closer to the land was measured using a device called a clinometer. A clinometer