Marc J. Damon, P.E.

 

COASTAL ENGINEER

HUMISTON & MOORE ENGINEERS

 

 

EDUCATION

 

M.S. Coastal Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, 2003.

B.S. Ocean Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, 2001.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

 

2004-Present     Coastal Engineer - Humiston & Moore Engineers, Naples, FL

1999-2003         Research Assistant – Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

 

 

FIELDS OF EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCE

Numerical Modeling in field of Coastal Engineering including

          Wave transformation modeling
          Wave Statistical Analysis – NOAA Watch III Data Wave-structure interaction modeling
          Coastal Process Modeling
          FEMA wave modeling and analysis

Coastal Engineering Analysis and Design
          Deployment of wave and tide gauges and data retrieval and data reduction

          Shoreline and volumetric change analysis
          State of the art geotechnical analysis and borrow area design
          Sand compatibility analysis

 

 

GENERAL

As a coastal engineer with Humiston & Moore Engineers (H&M) since 2004, Mr. Damon has been involved with beach nourishment design and analysis as well as erosion control studies, design and permitting. Mr. Damon has a strong mathematical background and has proven to be very capable in numerical modeling, data reductions and statistical analysis.

 

Coastal Process Analysis – NOAA Wave Data and Wave Modeling
While at H&M Mr. Damon has developed mathematical models and approaches for the statistical analysis of NOAA wave data to generate representative wave data sets for numerical modeling of coastal processes. This development has allowed for the processing of data available from the integrated NOAA Wave Watch III buoy network for any location in Florida, and well beyond. This results in the ability to evaluate and validate calibrated model runs for alternatives analyses for selected periods of weather conditions based on actual data.

 

Mr. Damon has extensive experience in applications of numerical modeling of wave propagation and coastal processes. These include SMS, STWave, and Bouss-2D. For the purpose of evaluating and design of beach nourishment projects and erosion control projects, statistical wave data developed from the processing of NOAA Wave Watch III data source allows for reasonable representation of wave conditions to transition to the nearshore area. Mr. Damon works closely with Dr. Dabees of H&M in the application of morphology models using various wave conditions for coastal process modeling for model calibration, model verification and review and evaluation of alternatives. The Bouss-2D model also provides opportunity for review of wave- structure interaction when designing breakwaters and groins, which was applied during the design of the Keewaydin Island Erosion Control project, evaluation of erosion control design alternatives for Singer Island, Palm Beach County, and Honeymoon Island Beach State park.

 

Beach Nourishment – Borrow Area Design
Since 2004, Mr. Damon has also been the lead engineer on the H&M team for the geotechnical evaluation of potential borrow areas and the relative compatibility with the native beach conditions. Using various adopted procedures recognized in the Corps of Engineers’ Coastal Engineering Manual, Mr. Damon has developed a statistical approach toward evaluation and design of borrow areas for suitable sand compatibility with native beaches. In the design of borrow areas for beach projects, Mr. Damon has been involved in every aspect of the design from background data review including the State of Florida Reconnaissance Offshore Sand Search database, to participating in initial reconnaissance level field work investigations, processing seismic data records, development of vibracoring programs, being on board during vibracore operations to monitor the quality of sand and coordinating field adjustments if necessary to maximize resources deployed for the data collections. His expertise also includes selecting areas for geotechnical analysis, and conducting the compatibility analysis and borrow area design. Sample projects involving the borrow area design include South Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County, Longboat Pass Flood Shoal sand traps in Manatee County, and the Venice Inlet flood shoal sand traps.

 

Data Reduction, Processing
Mr. Damon provides technical support of data processing. When working with complex LIDAR data sets of hydrographic data, Mr. Damon applies Matlab routines to process large amounts of data for various applications. Mr. Damon uses digital terrain models to process data and establish surface areas for each data set allowing for assessment of changes at a single location through 3-D computations of surface variations. This allows for prompt quality control review of hydrographic data and other data sources soon after data collection and potentially prior to demobilization of the survey crew. These capabilities of processing large fields of data also serves well in evaluation of beach and offshore monitoring data, wave data or other data sets.

 

FEMA Wave Modeling - LOMR

Mr. Damon has become very knowledgeable and competent with the application of the FEMA Coastal Hazard Analysis Modeling Program (CHAMP). Mr. Damon has been responsible for coordinating numerous applications of the CHAMP model for evaluation of flood zone designations and the filing of requests for Letters of Map Revision (LOMR). Mr. Damon has established a very good rapport with the FEMA Contractors for various regions in the processing of the LOMR requests resulting in a very successful track record.

Mr. Damon participates in the preparation and presentation of a number of technical studies at the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association conferences.

 

 

REGISTRATION

 

Registered Professional Engineer, State of Florida

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

 

Member in the American Society of Civil Engineers, M. ASCE