Topic outline

  • Coastal Construction: Historical Perspective on Storm Damage

    Credits: 2 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    Through the years, FEMA, other Federal agencies, State and local agencies, and other private groups have documented and evaluated the effects of coastal flood and wind events and the performance of buildings located in coastal areas during those events. These evaluations provide a historical perspective on the siting, design, and construction of buildings along the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Great Lakes coasts. These studies provide a baseline against which the effects of later coastal flood events can be measured.

    Within this context, certain hurricanes, coastal storms, and other coastal flood events stand out as being especially important, either because of the nature and extent of the damage they caused or because of particular flaws they exposed in hazard identification, siting, design, construction, or maintenance practices. Many of these events—particularly those occurring since 1979—have been documented by FEMA in various reports. These reports summarize investigations that FEMA conducts shortly after major disasters.

    This course summarizes coastal flood and wind events that have affected the US and its territories since the beginning of the twentieth century. The lessons learned regarding factors that contribute to flood and wind damage are discussed.

    Topics:

    • Coastal Flood and Wind Events
    • North-Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico Regions
    • Caribbean, Great Lakes, Hawaiian, and Pacific Territories
    • Breaking the Disaster-Rebuild-Disaster Cycle
    • Hazard ID, Design, Construction, Maintenance
    • Use of Enclosures

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course: Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
         NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.

    Print the Certificate of Completion


    Intended Audience: This course is intended for Coastal, Geotechnical, Civil, Environmental, Water Resources, and other engineers whose job description requires a comprehensive knowledge of coastal construction topics.

    Publication Source: US Corp of Engineers (Unified Facilities Criteria)

    Donald Parnell, PE
    • Topic 1