Coastal platform geology, classification and roughness

This research has been carried under the Geological Survey Ireland 2017 Short Call. This call provided funding for researchers in academia or industry on the island of Ireland for projects of less than 12 months duration and less than €25,000.

Please note that the final report has been redacted to remove staff, financial and sensitive information. Some file sizes have been reduced to allow easier uploading/downloading, higher quality files are available on request. Supplemental information is also available on request in most cases. Please contact research[AT]gsi.ie

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and not of Geological Survey Ireland or the Department of Climate Action, Communications and Environment.

Lead Applicant: Dr Mary Bourke

Host: Trinity College Dublin

Project Title: Coastal platform geology, classification and roughness

Project Description: Platforms are erosional landforms found on rocky shorelines. They provide important ecosystem services and are significant components of Ireland’s coastal systems. Data suggest that platforms slow rates of coastal retreat by attenuating wave energy and protecting the coastline cliffs from direct wave impact. Knowledge of the lithology, surface morphology and roughness of Ireland’s platforms will improve understanding of the response of Ireland’s coastline to future climate change.

The proposed work builds on a previously funded GSI short call project that:

Produced a map of Ireland’s coastal platforms;
Proposed a new classification for platforms and
Tested wave attenuation across a shore platform during summer and winter conditions.

The proposed research will:

Map the lithology of Irish coastal platforms using existing national geological data and the map of coastal platforms produced form a 2015 funded GSI short call project.
Field test the Bourke et al, 2016 classification of coastal rock platforms by applying it to seven platform sites around Ireland’s coastline.
Quantify the roughness of seven coastal platforms classes using UAV image data to build DTMs

The proposed work falls clearly under the GSI coastal mapping and Geohazards theme.