Geography GCSE
Hard Engineering
What Hard Engineering means in Geography GCSE, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Hard Engineering
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The use of artificial, often concrete or rock, structures to defend the coast against erosion and flooding.
The use of artificial, man-made structures (like concrete dams) to control a river and prevent flooding.
The use of artificial, physical structures such as dams and flood walls to prevent or control flooding.
The use of artificial, man-made structures to protect the coast from erosion and flooding.
Topics that use Hard Engineering
- A variety of physical processes interact to shape river landscapes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Distinctive coastal landscapes are the outcome of the interaction between physical and human processes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Human activities can lead to changes in coastal landscapes which affect people and the environment (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- The UK's landscape challenges (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Longshore Drift
- Soft Engineering
- Terminal Groyne Syndrome
- Abrasion
- Alluvium
- Hydraulic Action
- Lag Time
- Managed Retreat
Using Hard Engineering in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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