A Central Queensland University professor has warned of the inadequacy of low-cost sea walls in our coastal communities.

Associate Professor Kevin Tickle said various authorities in Australia have constructed these sea walls, including Livingstone Shire Council on the Capricorn Coast, to protect coastal property; however when certain wave events coincide, the risk of failure is high.

“These low-cost sea walls are most at risk when significant wave height events coincide with high water or storm surges,” Professor Tickle explained.

“Recent advances in statistics allow more accurate estimation of this risk when looking at the joint occurrences of extreme events.

“The design of low-cost beach protection structures is improved by reliable estimation of the risk of failure.”.

Professor Tickle has recorded data from the Capricorn Coast to estimate the probability of extreme events of wave height, water level and wave steepness.