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

To help construction management teams in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) access critical training and reference documents faster, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) developed a new artificial intelligence model to sort through volumes of information and provide clear and accurate information quickly. Working alongside USACE’s Construction Management Innovation Office (CMIO), a large-language model – the Jobsite-Assisted Quality Intelligence (JAQI) – was created to respond to queries within minutes with a written answer that feels natural to readers. The project was part of the development of the Construction Management Administration Application, a single website where construction management professionals can access training, best practices and construction management articles to guide their work in the field. CMIO helps establish a culture of construction management innovation within USACE, raising the standard of construction management practices through the project lifecycle and transitioning the latest technology from industry and the research lab into practical use by USACE construction project delivery teams. To learn more about JAQI, its development and role, visit https://lnkd.in/g2ckpcxe. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #installations #ai #artificialintelligence #ml #machinelearning #aiml #largelanguagemodel #information #informationtechnology #data #dataanalytics #construction #projectmanagement #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

Federal legislation called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to implement a research and technology demonstration program focused on scalable approaches for Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) detection, prevention and management intended to reduce its impact on our nation’s water resources. HABs can be caused in freshwater by various cyanobacteria, impacting our nation’s waterways, infrastructure, operations and connected critical water resources. In answering the call, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, in collaboration with other agencies, developed an innovative mitigation approach called the Harmful Algal Bloom Interception, Treatment, and Transformation System (HABITATS). The system collects HAB-impacted water, then rapidly separates the algae using dissolved air flotation. It then returns the clean water back to the environment. By physically removing algae from the water, this approach removes both nutrients and potential toxins that accumulate in algal cells. The removed algae is later converted into fuel feedstocks using a process called hydrothermal liquefaction, which also provides rapid, energy-efficient destruction of any algal toxins. US Army Corps of Engineers #worldwaterday #water #waterresources #resources #innovation #science #technology #engineer #engineers #engineering #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

Water is a critical resource for every military operation, from forward operating bases in arid deserts, to unexpected deployments in remote locations. Ensuring clean, safe water can spell the difference between mission success and failure and comes with its own set of challenges for the Warfighter. Researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center are stepping up to meet this moment with a game-changing solution, graphene. Watch to see how they are harnessing the power of this advanced material. United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #military #warfighter #usarmy #army #chemical #chemicalwarfare #water #waterresources #waterpurification #graphene #advancedmaterials #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

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