Incorporating Multidisciplinary Components Of Ocean And Marine Engineering In Traditional Civil Engineering Capstone Courses

Criterion 3 of ABET 2004-2005 Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs 1 requires that all engineering programs seeking accreditation manifest that their graduates have an ability to “function on multidisciplinary teams.” Students should be able to serve as both a team leader and a contributing member of a design team. Although major facets of this requirement are student attitude and personality driven, a significant component involves the appropriate understanding and expectations of members representing other engineering disciplines that work on the same design project. The Citadel in Charleston, SC is a military college with traditional civil and electrical engineering programs. Traditionally, ocean and marine engineering subject content has only been introduced in a few classes as related to faculty experience. During their final semester, students select and take one of four Capstone courses that include (1) structural, (2) environmental, (3) transportation, and (4) site development. Students in these courses work together on multidisciplinary teams to design roadways, subdivisions, buildings, bridges, and a water and wastewater conveyance facility on a given tract of land. The Army Corps of Engineers, a developer, and other practicing professionals are heavily involved in the course content and evaluation process. Given Charleston’s unique location, it is important to have students design basic systems in ocean and marine environments. This paper presents the development of ocean and marine engineering design projects/studies in civil engineering Capstone courses at The Citadel. Specifically, a structural engineering professor has developed the design of floating breakwater systems for wave loads and wave energy dissipation and a case study to examine damage to a breakwater following significant wave loading from a hurricane. An environmental engineering professor has a critical review of the environmental impact statement for the expansions of the Charleston, SC port facility. This paper presents the evolution of the civil engineering Capstone courses at the Citadel and provides and commentary on the importance of including fundamental ocean and marine engineering projects as part of the multidisciplinary activities. Introduction The number of ocean and marine engineering programs in the United States is very small relative to the number of traditional programs in civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. However, many of these traditional engineering programs have attempted to incorporate components of