FOREIGN COASTAL ENGINEERING AND RELATED RBSEARCH* 

 by 



John R. Vogler, Chief 

 International Division, Beach Erosion Board 



During the past few years there has been a significant increase 

 throughout the world in the total effort being devoted to the study of 

 coastal processes, forces, and phenomena, and the related engineering 

 application of the scientific findings. In addition, there has been a 

 corresponding increase in the number of foreign periodicals and special 

 publications pertaining to this field. 



In the interest of economy of United States resources (manpower, 

 equipment, and money) and the over-all advancement of world-wide basic 

 knowledge in this discipline, it is necessary that increased use be made 

 of all related foreign data. The critical phase is the exploitation of 

 information in the various foreign languages. No longer should we be 

 satisfied with limiting our search for information primarily to English 

 language publications or available translations of foreign language 

 articles. It will not be an easy task to develop capabilities to re- 

 view foreign language publications to the extent deemed desirable due 

 to two factors: first, the ever increasing rate that technical papers 

 are being published; and secondly, the scarcity in the United States of 

 professional personnel capable of using foreign languages. However, 

 over a period of time a coordinated attack on the language problem by 

 all concerned may eliminate most of the noted reference research 

 deficiency. 



To overcome at least part of this deficiency of knowledge, the 

 International Division, Beach Erosion Board, is responsible for analyz- 

 ing foreign activities and information that may be useful to the coastal 

 engineering and related research* effort of the Beach Erosion Board and 

 the other elements of the Corps of Engineers. When possible, interesting 

 information of a general and technical nature will be made available to 

 all interested agencies and personnel via Beach Erosion Board Bulletins, 

 Technical Memoranda, or such other media as may be deemed appropriate. 

 The first such release is a general information article in this Bulletin 

 entitled "Soviet Scientific Progress in Coastal Oceanography". Descrip- 

 tion of a new Soviet manual on coastal engineering is also included in 

 this Bulletin as a separate release. 



It is hoped that the Beach Erosion Board will develop as a primary 

 focal point in the U. S. Government for foreign information in the field 

 of coastal engineering and related research. To further this objective 



* Coastal engineering and related research includes: the collection 

 of basic information on coastal environment, processes, forces, and 

 phenomena; the performance of basic and applied research in this field; 

 and the development of engineering data and design criteria for pro- 

 tecting the coastal environment against coastal processes and forces. 



