Costa da Caparica is located in the South region of the Tagus river mouth and to the north of Setúbal Peninsula. This coastal zone is distinguished by a great fluvial morphodinamic influence in the river inlet area. The area of study starts in the Cova do Vapor and ends at south of Costa da Caparica village. The length of the study area is 4.5km, with a coast orientation is SSE-NNW and with a long beach area.

The adopted policy in this area was to hold the line. This policy and the new intervention for this area, was the proposal to protect the urban area and expand the beach area through artificial sand nourishment.

The proposed solution is the reshaping the existent groynes and seawall in conjunction with the artificial sand nourishment. In medium term (five years), this solution could make possible length reduction of some intermediate groins and will increase the length of the not eliminated ones that will become the structural groins of the defence.

• Study area: 4.5 km ; Sedimentary cell: 1
• Type of coast: soft rock coast and beaches ( with sand)
• Tidal regime: meso-macrotidal (3.5 m)
• Range of waves : mean Hsig = 0.7-2.6 m annual storms Hsig= 4.1 m