Preface

One of the goals of the Erasmus programme of the Commission of the European Union is to stimulate cooperation between European Universities. EU support for student exchange is a good example of this stimulation. In order to facilitate the student-exchange programme, various Erasmus networks have been established. The so-called Liverpool/Thessaloniki network is one of them. Seven universities are involved in this particular arrangement. The main fields of interest of he network are Fluid mechanics, Hydraulic engineering and Coastal engineering. Erasmus networks are also encouraged by the Commission to develop lecture notes which can be used by the various universities in Europe. However, the curricula of the universities are often quite different. To define and to develop a joint piece of teaching material is difficult and very time consuming. The Liverpool/Thessaloniki network chose a less ambitious goal. The network decided to start with a simple module which can easily be incorporated in existing courses. The network has produced a book of photographs and diagrams which can be used during introductory lectures in Coastal Engineering. 

The book contains a selection of pictures from the various collections of the participating universities. To cover more countries that of the EU than the seven represented in the Liverpool/Thessaloniki network, colleagues form Germany and Italy have joined the project. For pictures were taken from Japanese collections. The book can be bought by European students from the various University Bookshops(*). The book provides a broad overview of the features which can be observed along the European coasts. As such it will give the student a rapid idea of the features of coasts other than the particular type which may be familiar in his home country. 

Contributors to this book are:

• Prof. G.J. Balafoutas, University of Thessaloniki
• Prof. T. Larsen, Aalborg university centre
• Dr. A.W. Lesis, University college Cork
• Eur.Ing. T.S. Hedges, University of Liverpool
• Prof. J. de Rouck, University of Ghent
• Prof. A. Sánchez-Archilla, Catalonia University of Technology
• Dr. J. van de Graaff, Delft University of Technolgy
• Dr. H.H. Dette, Technische Universität Braunschweig
• Prof. L. Franco, Politechnico di Milano

The digital version of this book consists of two parts. There is a set of HTML-pages, containing the text of the 5 chapters of the book, with illustrations. And also there is a overview of only the illustrations with their captions. 

Link to the table of contents of the book  

Link to the illustrations only

Footnote

The original book from 1996 is placed now (2003) on the website of the PIANC educational package in Coastal Engineering. This website has the same objective as the original EU project. By placing the material on the website it is assumed that access by teachers and students is easier, and dissemination of knowledge is stimulated.