Ocean BoK

Ocean BoK:

Academy of Coastal, Port, Ocean, and Ocean Engineers (ACOPNE)

Body of Knowledge for Ocean Engineering

The ACOPNE Ocean Engineering Body of Knowledge (OEBOK) is to be used by ACOPNE evaluation panels to determine if candidates for Diplomate certification qualify for certification.

The intent of the OEBOK is not to establish a checklist of requirements, but to provide a template by which the Academy can more uniformly evaluate a candidate’s education and experience, reducing but not eliminating subjectivity.

The ASCE BOK lists the outcomes necessary for Professional Licensing in 24 Categories. Ocean Engineering Certification requires that level plus mastery of at least one advanced technical outcome in Ocean engineering under ASCE BOK Outcomes 5 through 24.

We define “Mastery” of an outcome to mean that the engineer has reached the level of expertise such that more challenging, complex, and difficult problems may be solved than can be addressed by an ordinarily competent licensed engineer.

Mastery of a topic can be demonstrated by planning, designing, constructing, operating, managing, regulating, or researching ocean engineering projects of geographic or type diversity at the expert level with increasing levels of responsibility and difficulty, teaching advanced courses on these topics, authoring or co-authoring papers and contributing to books, and contributing to the profession on these topics.  Mastery may be manifested as exceptional expertise in a single area or as recognized expertise in multiple topic areas.

Mastery of a topic can be demonstrated by planning, designing, constructing, operating, managing, regulating, or researching ocean engineering projects of geographic or type diversity at the expert level with increasing levels of responsibility and difficulty.  It can also be demonstrated through teaching advanced courses on these topics, authoring or co-authoring papers and books, and contributing to the profession on these topics.  Mastery may be manifested as exceptional expertise in a single area or as recognized expertise in multiple topic areas.

The OEBOK consists of:

• Fulfillment, at the level required for licensure, of all 24 outcomes in the ASCE BOK.
• Fulfillment, at the expert level of at least one outcome from the ASCE BOK Outcomes 5 through 24 as related to one or more Ocean Engineering categories from the listing below so as to demonstrate mastery of the discipline.

The technical outcomes below will be used by the ACOPNE Board of Trustees or a Board-designated examination panel to evaluate applicants for certification.

Ocean Engineering

General Knowledge

• Life cycle planning and management
• Codes and standards, risk assessment
• Engineering economics; cost-benefit analysis
• Field investigations and data acquisition, analysis and interpretation
• Ocean Engineering fundamentals to define environmental forcing, design conditions, siting, and permitting requirements: water waves, tides, stability of floating structures and foundations, construction techniques
• Safety & security of environment, public use, private/public property
• Adverse and beneficial environmental impacts analysis
• Sustainability planning, design and analysis
• Environmental law and policy with respect to ocean engineering projects

Environmental Conditions

• Measurement and prediction of weather and ocean environment, including icing
• Geotechnical investigations and assessment
• Seismic considerations
• Assessment of site conditions
• Remote sensing; geophysical exploration; bathymetric surveying

Design and Analysis of Structures (Static and Dynamic)

• Fixed structures
• Floating structures and stability
• Subsea structures
• Cable-like structures; moorings
• Underwater instrumentation
• Underwater vehicles (ROVs, AUVs)
• Numerical and physical modeling

Fabrication, Installation and Operation of Ocean Engineering Equipment

• Materials, joining methods, and weathering
• Corrosion protection
• Fabrication and manufacturing techniques
• Materials and structural testing
• Installation techniques
• Inspection and maintenance requirements

Forensics

• Event reconstruction
• Data acquisition; surveying
• Failure investigations

Approved by the ACOPNE Board of Trustees September 16, 2016