U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)

Throwback Thursday:?How ERDC helped navigate the Northwest Passage and shape our military’s ability to operate in the Arctic Built upon decades of experience and expertise at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s research in cold regions is helping shape and accelerate our military’s ability to maneuver, project power and dominate in the Arctic. Learn how the voyage of the S.S. Manhattan in the late 1960s is a key milestone in our history and that of our nation. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #throwbackthursday #arctic #army #usarmy #engineer #engineers #engineering #alaska #northwestpassage #oil #oilindustry #energy #military #militaryengineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

To test the capabilities and endurance of several vehicles and innovative sensor technologies planned for use in an upcoming exercise in the Arctic Circle, a team from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) deployed to Mount Washington, New Hampshire, known as the home of the “World’s Worst Weather.” Watch this video to learn more on how these tests and capabilities are advancing the U.S. Army’s understanding of and ability to successfully operative in frigid austere environments. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #arctic #soldiers #usarmy #army #newhampshire #arcticcircle #forceprojection #sensors #sensortechnology #militarycapabilities #engineer #engineers #engineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

A report released Thursday found that implementing Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) at two California dams can both reduce flood risk from extreme storms and improve water supply during drier periods. The largest FIRO viability assessment to date evaluated its implementation at Lake Oroville and New Bullards Bar Reservoir along the Yuba-Feather system. The effort was a collaboration between the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), the California Department of Water Resources, Yuba Water Agency, the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Sacramento District. Studying historical forecasts, reservoir storage and river flow data, scientists determined FIRO, combined with a planned second spillway at New Bullards Bar, could provide additional flood storage capacity in the Yuba-Feather system and reduce downstream peak flows, while also providing a reliable water supply. A separate related effort will also include updates to the water control manuals for each reservoir. “The Yuba-Feather FIRO Viability Assessment, which the ERDC supported, is an important step toward formalizing our district's use of improved weather forecasts for strategic water management decisions at New Bullards Bar and Oroville reservoirs,” USACE Sacramento District Chief of Water Management Jenny Fromm said. FIRO represents a new methodology that uses modern weather and streamflow forecasting, as well as watershed monitoring data, to more precisely guide reservoir operations. Following a successful pilot at California’s Lake Mendocino, FIRO’s viability is being studied at additional reservoirs in California and Washington. Researchers are also studying how its methods can be applied to other locations across the United States. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gN6uEzE7 US Army Corps of Engineers Scripps Institution of Oceanography UC San Diego U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division California Department of Water Resources Yuba Water Agency Cary Talbot, PhD, PE #FIRO #water #watermanagement #forecast #forecasting #weather #weatherforecast #atmosphericriver #reservoir #dam #flood #drought #watersupply #engineer #engineering #innovation #science #technology #PowerofERDC

In support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has deployed cutting-edge augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technology to create a digital twin of an important facility in Idaho. The electrical distribution system at the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery Project in Idaho needed to be upgraded for the safety of maintenance personnel and the return of salmon and steelhead fish from the Pacific Ocean to natural spawning grounds along the North Fork Clearwater River. Built by USACE in the late 1960s, the hatchery was designed to mitigate for the loss of Steelhead Trout in the North Fork of the Clearwater River and its tributaries because of the construction of Dworshak Dam. The hatchery is managed by the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho. As part of this effort, the Agency Technical Review (ATR) team called on ERDC to help develop a digital twin of the facility, which provided an immersive understanding of engineering problems using photorealistic and measurable digital twins for virtual inspections. ERDC’s Facilitating Advanced Simulation Teaming – or FAST – system was used to document existing conditions for the design-build solicitation. The system helped the ATR team increase site knowledge and reduce overall project risk by enabling a virtual site visit using AR/VR. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division Walla-Walla District #idaho #steelheadtrout #trout #fisheries #digitaltwin #digitaltwins #augmentedreality #virtualreality #ar #vr #arvr #information #informationtechnology #data #dataanalytics #engineer #engineers #engineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

Throwback Thursday: How USACE Pioneered Aerial Mapping Cameras that Transformed the Battlefield Today, the Geospatial Research Laboratory (GRL) stands at the forefront of providing precise geospatial information, critical research and innovative mapping capabilities to support the Warfighter. But the roots of GRL trace back more than a century to a critical development by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)—the aerial mapping camera. In the early 1900s, the U.S. Army had barely begun to recognize the military potential of airplanes. Though balloons had been employed since the Civil War, airplanes were initially overlooked. This changed dramatically during World War I, when USACE recognized the urgent need for advanced reconnaissance capabilities. Read the article to learn more. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #ThrowbackThursday #USACE #AerialMapping #MilitaryEngineering #GeospatialTechnology #Modernization #USArmy #TechnologyInnovation #Research #ArmyHistory #EngineeringExcellence #science #technology #PowerofERDC

The ability to quickly assess and map subterranean networks in a battlefield arena, whether in an urban setting or in a rural landscape, gives military personnel better awareness of their surroundings and potential threats. During a recent robotics demonstration at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), advisors with the U.S. Army Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center were able to observe and interact with systems that are part of the Subterranean Network Investigation Package (SNIP). SNIP is an ERDC program that deploys robotics and sensors to identify chemical and environmental threats in an area of operation. Deployed on Muddy, a small and inexpensive robotic platform used by ERDC laboratories to test a wide range of sensor payloads and the perfect platform to explore subterranean environments, Soldiers were given an opportunity to test the platform and SNIP sensors. The demonstration leveraged the ERDC Subterranean Complex, which tested the sensors, robotic platform and the Soldiers in real-world conditions. In addition to giving the advisors a better understanding of SNIP and Muddy, the research is continuing to expand the capabilities of these robotic and sensor systems to enable infrastructure assessment and provide our Warfighters with platforms that can support missions across any domain. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #army #usarmy #robotics #autonomous #lidar #3d #3dmapping #3dimaging #mapping #soldiers #battlespace #infrastructure #monitoring #objectrecognition #sensor #sensortechnology #engineer #engineers #engineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is deploying transgenic switchgrass at an ammunition plant in Iowa to address RDX contamination. Residue from RDX, an explosive, has the potential to contaminate soil and water. The initiative involves planting thousands of engineered switchgrass cuttings capable of breaking down RDX into harmless components, offering a natural solution to restore contaminated lands. The Iowa deployment represents the first large-scale application of this ground-breaking technology. Researchers at the ERDC Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory are collaborating with the University of Missouri to develop a next-generation switchgrass that paves the way for widespread use of this technology at other military sites, including Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where similar challenges exist. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #explosives #environment #environmental #ammunition #science #innovation #engineer #engineers #engineering #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

The U.S. Air Force conducts aircraft operations around the world, often in operational regions and conditions that are not optimal. In support of the Air Force, engineers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) examined techniques and technologies that could quickly repair and restore runways, offering extended support to air traffic, particularly that of our nation’s fighter aircraft. In a technical report recently released by ERDC, results of full-scale testing of asphalt pavement and full-depth reclamation options were evaluated, providing the Air Force critical information on options to resume and sustain flight operations. The research conducted is built upon decades of experience and expertise at ERDC, which leverages unique capabilities and facilities to specifically test the types of pavements and asphalts essential to military operations. To learn more about this project, visit https://lnkd.in/gv5nTpph. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers United States Air Force #military #usarmy #army #usairfoce #usaf #militaryaircraft #aircraft #fighterjets #f15 #pavement #asphalt #forceprojection #engineer #engineers #engineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

The world-class research at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is built upon nearly 100 years of experience, forged on the front lines of our country’s battles and in the construction of our nation’s critical infrastructure. Over that time, seven areas of expertise – or core competencies – have developed in which ERDC has become the undeniable lead. Among those is Battlespace Terrain Mapping and Characterization. As the U.S. Army’s lead in geospatial engineering science and technology, ERDC enhances understanding of the operational environment – developing innovative mapping technologies, data management and analytics, and spatial and temporal applications that enable mission command. This area of research provides our Armed Forces with unmatched capabilities to understand and dominate the battlespace no matter the domain or threat. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #usarmy #army #battlefield #geospatial #mapping #data #dataanalytics #satellite #combatmission #missionplanning #geospatialengineering #engineer #engineers #engineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

Leveraging its expanding understanding and expertise of robotic platforms, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) recently participated in an exercise in Norway testing the limits of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) and their potential support in military and combat scenarios. A team from the ERDC Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory participated in Norway Arctic Warrior Experiment TE 25-1, in which they tested the Milrem Robotics THeMIS UGV across varied terrain under extreme weather conditions. The team coordinated the addition of a second THeMIS, provided by Norway, that carried a reconnaissance payload which allowed leader/follower operations and real-time data transmission via the Android Team Awareness Kit. During a simulated mass casualty event, the UGV was tasked with towing 1,200-pound loads. While one of the THeMIS systems transported a casualty to an extraction point, the second THeMIS related live video and location data to U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters. The exercise not only reinforced ERDC’s ability to provide critical information, techniques and technologies for our Soldiers in any climate, but also showcased ERDC’s longstanding position as a world leader in cold regions science and research. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #usarmy #army #arctic #soldiers #unmanned #unmannedsystems #ugv #specialoperations #reconnaissance #data #dataanalytics #datatransmission #engineer #engineers #engineering #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC