The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Overview

The history of coastal engineering reaches back over five thousand years to the ancient world bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. Coastal engineering, as it relates to harbors, started with the development of maritime traffic, perhaps before 3500 B.C.

Recently, archaeologists, using modern survey techniques, excavations, and old documents, have revealed some of the sophisticated engineering in these old harbors. Technically interesting features have shown up and are now reappearing in modern port designs. Common to most ancient ports was a well-planned and effectively located seawall or breakwater for protection and a quay or mole for loading vessels, features frequently included in modern ports.

In England, coastal engineering works date back to the Romans, who recognized the danger of floods and sea inundation of low-lying lands.

The origins of the USACE date to June of 1775, at the beginning of the American War of Independence, when the Second Continental Congress authorized General Washington to assign a "chief engineer" for the "grand army".

This course will review in detail the ancient and modern day Coastal Engineering developments. The basic concepts learned thousands of years ago still apply to today's engineering principles and practices.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty (20) questions at the end of this course to earn PDH credits.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained

  · Review of Coastal Engineering in the ancient world
  · Review of Coastal Engineering in the Pre-Roman times
  · Review of Coastal Engineering in the Roman times
  · Review of Coastal Engineering in the Modern Age
  · Review of Coastal Engineering in the 20th century United States
  · Detailed review of a wood crib breakwater design from the 1800's
  · Review of Coastal Engineering in the Military

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.