The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Field Research
Facility: More Than Two Decades of Coastal
Research
William A. Birkemeier1 and K. Todd Holland2
Abstract
Introduction
History of the FRF
The Field Research Facility
The U.S. Army Corps of Engi-
In the 1960s little was known
(FRF), located on the Atlantic Ocean
neers' Field Research Facility (FRF)
about the dynamics of the surf zone.
in Duck, NC, was established by the
in Duck, NC, was officially dedicated
Except for the classic studies of
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in
by Congressman Walter Jones, Sr.,
O'Brien, Shepard, Bascom and
1977 to support the Corps' coastal
in 1980, thereby ushering in a new
others during the Second World War
engineering research requirements.
era of nearshore research and dis-
(see Bascom 1987 for insight into
The facility consists of a 560-m-
covery. Since its earlier construction
these early experiments; Moore and
(l,840-ft-) long research pier, a main
in 1977 (Figure 1), the FRF has pro-
Moore 1991), most field studies of
office building, field support building,
vided the Corps and the worldwide
the surf zone were conducted from
and a 40-m- (130-ft-) high observa-
coastal research community with the
fishing piers, including several in
tion tower. Since its creation, the
capability of conducting complex and
North Carolina. Coastal scientists
FRF has maintained a comprehen-
comprehensive nearshore research
and engineers conducting research
sive, long-term monitoring program
and engineering studies. Through its
in the harsh environment of the
of the coastal ocean including
long-term measurement program
coastal zone faced particularly diffi-
waves, tides, currents, local meteo-
and series of comprehensive
cult data collection problems such
rology, and the concomitant beach
multiagency multiinvestigator experi-
as installation of instruments under
response. This monitoring program
ments, the FRF has contributed sig-
less than ideal conditions and expo-
is supported by a small,
nificantly to understanding the
sure to a variety of hazards, includ-
highly-skilled field staff and several
nearshore zone, an active area of
ing storms and hurricanes. Accurate
unique vehicles that permit success-
the coast included in all shore pro-
bottom surveys made by individuals
ful operations in the turbulent surf
tection and navigation projects.
wading through the surf zone or by
zone. These capabilities have also
Because the Duck site is represen-
amphibious military craft were
supported a series of multiagency
tative of many U.S. coastal loca-
extremely difficult or impossible to
multiinvestigator experiments that
tions, FRF data are helping to meet
obtain. Because of these problems
have led to the Duck beach becom-
the need for field data to calibrate
in collecting comprehensive and
ing the best-studied beach in the
and verify the accuracy of analytical,
accurate field measurements, the
world. To date, approximately 150
numerical, and physical model pre-
state of the art of coastal engineer-
journal articles, 108 reports, and 84
dictions. Because of the ready avail-
ing was slow to advance.
conference proceedings papers have
ability and high quality of FRF
In response, the concept for a
been published using FRF data by
ground-truth data, Duck has also
field research facility was proposed
more than 200 authors. This paper
been the site of a wide range of
in 1963 by Mr. Rudolph Savage,
summarizes the capabilities of the
equipment and development efforts,
Chief of the Research Division of the
FRF and reviews the impact of its
particularly in remote sensing.
Coastal Engineering Research
first 23 years of operation.
Center (CERC).3 The recently cre-
ated CERC was learning how diffi-
cult field data collection was through
an ambitious wave measurement
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1261 Duck Road, Kitty Hawk, NC
1
Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MS
2
The Coastal Engineering Research Center (CERC) was created by Congress in 1963, replacing the Beach
3
Erosion Board (BEB). In 1997 CERC merged with the Hydraulics Laboratory to create the Coastal and
Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL).
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