Reflecting the nature of coastal engineering, methodologies contained in this release of the ACES are richly diverse in sophistication and origin. The contents range from simple algebraic expressions, both theoretical and empirical in origin, to numerically intense algorithms spawned by the increasing power and affordability of computers. Historically, the methods range from classical theory describing wave motion, to expressions resulting from nests of structures in wave flumes, and to recent numerical models describing the exchange of energy from the atmosphere to the sea surface. In a general procedural sense, much has been taken from previous individual programs on both mainframes and microcompters.

The various methodologies included in ACES are called applications and are organized into categories called functional areas, differentiated according to general relevant physical processes and design or analysis activities. A list of the applications currently resident in the ACES is given in Table A1.