Approximately 7km of beaches at Marina di Massa are experiencing severe erosion as a consequence of the construction of an industrial harbor at Marina di Carrara in the early 1920s. The new structure intercepts the southward longshore sediment transport, inducing a sedimentary deficit to downdrift beaches. Different types of hard structures, such as seawalls, breakwaters and groins, were built in the study area in order to protect the seaside resort and the coastal highway from shoreline retreat. Nevertheless, beach erosion proceeded and tourist industry is now suffering from this retreat. The existing coastal defense system cannot be considered as a final solution of the problem above all for the presence of hard defense structures.

• Study area: 8.5 km (Massa), 4 km (Pisa); sedimentary cell: 65 km
• Type of coast: beach (fine to medium sand), artificial coast
• Tidal regime: microtidal
• Range of waves: Hs =5.5 m and Ts=10 s with recurrence time of 20-30 yr.