ASCE has honored David L. Kriebel, Ph.D., P.E., D.CE, M.ASCE, with the John G. Moffatt–Frank E. Nichol Harbor and Coastal Engineering Award for a career dedicated to coast and harbor engineering research, education, and professional service.
Kriebel has developed many concepts and tools that have been implemented to improve the engineering of harbor and coastal projects. These contributions have led directly to applications that benefit the profession and the public. He has participated in international field surveys of tsunamis and developed modeling methods to quantify tsunami impacts, advancing understanding of both tsunami-structure interaction and tsunami flooding. Kriebel was a member of the ASCE-7 Committee on Tsunami Loads and Effects that turned advances in knowledge into standards that will significantly improve structure design and public safety on tsunami-prone coasts. Throughout his career, he has developed models and techniques to assess coastal change and is a world leader in cross-shore sediment transport research. He has further used this expertise to develop probabilistic tools to design beach fills, tools that are widely used in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Kriebel has made major contributions to the advancement of coastal engineering that directly benefit coastal projects throughout the world. He focuses not only on theoretical advancements but builds innovative tools that are applied to practical projects. He has over 100 professional publications; chaired the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy; and supported the community through serving on journal editorial boards, organizing conferences, serving on numerous technical committees, serving on the Coasts, Oceans, Ports & Rivers Institute board of directors in multiple roles, and teaching.
The John G. Moffatt–Frank E. Nichol Harbor and Coastal Engineering Award is given to a member of ASCE who has made definite contribution in the field of harbor and coastal engineering in the form of either written presentations or notable performance, and serves to recognize new ideas and concepts that can be efficiently implemented to expand the engineering or construction techniques available for the harbor and coastal projects.
