Erosion is a natural activity that occurs up and down the country on a daily basis. But, it can also happen to our man-made items, and it is important that our building structures are protected on their outer layers by HVOF and other surface treatments, like the ones from https://www.poeton.co.uk/standard-treatments/plasma-coatings/. Let’s take a look at what natural erosion actually is.
Our natural landscapes have been formed as a result of erosion, and this is the result of thousands of years of environmental factors affecting the surface of the planet. Natural erosion can be caused by a number of natural effects, and these include:
Water
As water laps along the banks of riverbeds or speeds in and out with the sea’s tides, it will cause rocks and small particles to be moved along with it. These rocks and particles will then be deposited in areas where the water flow is less noticeable or where there is a natural space in the river or sea bed. You can see this process in action when you look at the sand on a beach both before and after the tide comes in. The salt in seawater is also capable of eroding the surface of some rocks.
Wind
During high winds, there are a number of materials that can be eroded away. This occurs over long time periods. Winds also help to move items to new locations. This can again be seen on the beach when the wind blows the sand into dunes. It is one of the ways that new land areas can be created.
Erosion can have a number of effects on land, and these can be everything from the creation of new habitat areas through to the destruction of other ones. The White Cliffs of Dover are a good example of where the land is slowly being eroded away, and the edge of the cliffs is gradually moving further and further inland. This, of course, has many environmental impacts, but it also has economic ones. As the land is eroded away, new safety measures need to be put in place to ensure people are kept safe in those areas. Buildings that are close to the edge will need to be monitored and, in some cases, will need remedial works to be undertaken.