Erosive impact of tsunami and storm waves on rocky coasts and post-depositional weathering of coarse-clast deposits

Abstract The spatial distribution of boulder deposits along rocky coastlines provides important implications for estimating the hazard of extreme waves (storms or tsunamis). However, rocky coasts are highly dynamic environments, and their changes through time have to be considered when analyzing the coarse-clast record and inferring characteristics of past events. This chapter reviews the impact of extreme waves on the erosion of rocky coasts and the formation of coarse-clast deposits, evaluates the potential of weathering and erosion features for relative dating of coastal erosion and boulder transport, and investigates the relevance of boulder “shrinking” through post-depositional erosion processes.