Deals with coastal or marine structures like groynes (groins), embankments etc.
Coastal engineering is defined here as the application of skills, knowledge, expertise, and theory associated with purposeful engineering intervention in the coastal system. This definition includes the application of scientific principles underlying a broad range of traditional engineering disciplines to a zone in which there are significant interactions between water and land, including shorelines, bays, lakes, estuaries, inlets, river mouths, and harbors, and the structures within these environments. Coastal engineering involves the practice of civil engineering, as well as the sciences of oceanography and coastal geology, to control erosion; place, construct, and monitor coastal structures; nourish beaches; and develop and maintain ports, harbors, and related navigation facilities. More and more, the role of the coastal engineer is also expanding to encompass environmental and ecological issues, as the role of wetlands and water quality becomes more important. There are also opportunities for environmental remediation in areas where former coastal engineering practices have caused adverse impacts. Coastal sciences, defined here as nearshore oceanography and coastal geology, are the scientific knowledge base for coastal engineering. A number of coastal engineers are involved in research in many aspects of coastal sciences, such as sediment transport in the surf zone and the mechanics of breaking waves.
Coastal engineering is a branch of civil engineering concerned with the specific demands posed by constructing at or near the coast, as well as the development of the coast itself.
The hydrodynamic impact of especially waves, tides, storm surges and tsunamis and (often) the harsh environment of salt seawater are typical challenges for the coastal engineer – as are the morphodynamic changes of the coastal topography, caused both by the autonomous development of the system and man-made changes. The areas of interest in coastal engineering include the coasts of the oceans, seas, marginal seas, estuaries and big lakes.
Besides the design, building and maintenance of coastal structures, coastal engineers are often interdisciplinary involved in integrated coastal zone management, also because of their specific knowledge of the hydro- and morphodynamics of the coastal system. This may include providing input and technology for e.g. environmental impact assessment, port development, strategies for coastal defense, land reclamation, offshore wind farms and other energy-production facilities, etc.
Specific elements of coastal engineering
The coastal environment produces challenges specific for this branch of engineering: waves, storm surges, tides, tsunamis, sea levelchanges, sea water and the marine ecosystem.
Most often, in coastal engineering projects there is a need for metocean conditions: local wind and wave climate, as well as statistics for and information on other hydrodynamic quantities of interest. Also, bathymetry and morphological changes are of direct interest. In case of studies of sediment transport and morphological changes, relevant properties of the sea bed sediments, water and ecosystem properties are needed.
National Importance of Coastal Engineering
Background and History
Coastal engineering is defined here as the application of skills, knowledge, expertise, and theory associated with purposeful engineering intervention in the coastal system. This definition includes the application of scientific principles underlying a broad range of traditional engineering disciplines to a zone in which there are significant interactions between water and land, including shorelines, bays, lakes, estuaries, inlets, river mouths, and harbors, and the structures within these environments. Coastal engineering involves the practice of civil engineering, as well as the sciences of oceanography and coastal geology, to control erosion; place, construct, and monitor coastal structures; nourish beaches; and develop and maintain ports, harbors, and related navigation facilities. More and more, the role of the coastal engineer is also expanding to encompass environmental and ecological issues, as the role of wetlands and water quality becomes more important. There are also opportunities for environmental remediation in areas where former coastal engineering practices have caused adverse impacts. Coastal sciences, defined here as nearshore oceanography and coastal geology, are the scientific knowledge base for coastal engineering. A number of coastal engineers are involved in research in many aspects of coastal sciences, such as sediment transport in the surf zone and the mechanics of breaking waves.
The discipline of coastal engineering in the United States began in the 1930s, largely as a result of research and other programs by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Navy. The Sea Grant Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science
Foundation (NSF) have also supported the development of education in coastal engineering. Coastal engineering programs have been established at a small number of academic institutions, and the graduates of these programs have carried the technology to government agencies at the federal and state levels and to a small number of professional firms that design coastal works in the United States and around the world
Investments in these programs and facilities have remained level or even declined (in real dollars) for a number of years, even though national needs have increased. At the same time, other countries (notably Spain, the Netherlands, Japan, and Denmark) have made significant investments in coastal engineering research facilities and programs and have challenged or overtaken U.S. leadership in a number of areas. Spain and the Netherlands have developed advanced technologies for dredging and beach restoration. Japan has made significant technological advances in port infrastructure and technology. Consulting engineering firms in Denmark and the Netherlands have close ties to first-rate laboratories and advanced design software superior to those developed in the United States.
For U.S. ports to remain competitive in world trade, the United States must accommodate changes in shipping technology developed by Japan and Korea that require more modern and deeper draft facilities. Because many U.S. channels were originally designed to accommodate older, smaller, and shallower draft vessels, these challenges are formidable. The environmental constraints associated with dredging of U.S. ports and the disposal of the often-contaminated material are significant issues that must be resolved.
Coastal Engineering
A Coastal Engineer earns average salary of $73,361 per year.
Coastal Engineering
A Coastal Engineer earns average salary of $73,361 per year.
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