Naval Civil Engieering Laboratory Ocean Engineering Department
Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory (NCEL) Ocean Engineering Department
NAVFAC began a program of RDT&E at NCEL in 1959 to study Deep Ocean Engineering. The initial program was funded at
$100,000. A new Ocean Engineering Department was started to manage this research and development. The objective of the Deep Ocean Engineering R&D Program was to provide the Navy with the capability to design, construct, implant and recover, maintain and operate fixed ocean floor structures and equipment. This program steadily increased and in FY70 the planned expenditure was $3,550,000. Funding steadily increased over the subsequent years. Funding for this RDT&E effort was assigned from the Exploratory and Advanced Development research funds.
The research was divided into seven technical areas which included:
- Site Selection and Survey;
- Bottom Soil Properties and Foundations;
- Construction Systems;
- Anchors and Moorings;
- Engineering Mechanics and Design;
- Power Sources;
- Support Systems.
NCEL was the primary laboratory for the development of Seabee diver tools in support of the UCT's.
NCEL Ocean Engineering Department remained a major part of the Ocean Facilities Program until 1993 when the department along with FAC-07 were integrated into NFESC as ECD 55.
