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

The Southwest Pass, which connects the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the most used commercial waterways in the United States. Sediment accumulation at Southwest Pass, which is hard to predict, often disrupts the normal access of deep draft vessels in the pass, which serves four of the nation’s top 15 ports, as measured by tonnage. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center are leading the charge, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning to revolutionize sedimentation forecasting. By analyzing vast datasets and developing advanced models, USACE aims to provide a 45-day lead time for dredging operations, optimizing resource allocation and reducing costs. With the potential to save millions each year through more efficient dredging, this innovative approach sets a new standard for waterway management nationwide. To learn more about this and other civil works research projects, visit https://lnkd.in/gASAiNbY. US Army Corps of Engineers #artificialintelligence #ai #machinelearning #ml #aiml #mississippiriver #gulfofmexico #dredging #sediment #port #portoperations #commercialshipping #costmanagement #waterways #navigation #inlandnavigation #science #innovation #technology #engineer #engineering #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Geospatial Research Laboratory (GRL) may be the smallest of ERDC’s seven world-class R&D laboratories, but the impact it has on our daily lives and the success of our military is significant. Once known as the Topographic Engineering Center, GRL is the only dedicated geospatial R&D laboratory in the Department of Defense and is the subject of our next ERDC Live. GRL plans and executes all technology development phases, from basic research to field information and commercialization. It is also a leader in providing accurate, relevant geospatial information, capabilities and research. Once focused on analyzing geographic data, satellite imagery and map-based programs, research at GRL has grown to now span the spectrum of engineering needs and disciplines. Join the next ERDC Live on Tuesday, Aug. 22, as the featured guest will be GRL Director Mr. David Hibner to discuss the geospatial engineering capabilities that support military, civil works and environmental missions. To RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gatU3MYF #geospatial #data #dataanalytics #topography #engineer #engineers #engineering #basicresearch #satellite #satelliteimagery #geospatialengineering #military #science #innovation #technology #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

Improving how we represent #NatureBasedSolutions in numerical models is critical to their adoption as a coastal risk management solution. This exciting collaboration with the USACE demonstrates JBA Consulting's commitment in this area by translating #research into practice.

Col. Christian Patterson, APRᐩM, Fellow PRSA, Commander of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), along with leaders from the ERDC Environmental Laboratory (EL), visited employees and learned about ongoing research efforts at the EL Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF) in Lewisville, Texas. The LAERF team is continuing to push world-class engineering and science in aquatic research that has a significant impact on our nation’s lakes, river and waterways. The visit also included demonstrations of ERDC’s ongoing research into harmful algal blooms. To learn more about LAERF, visit https://lnkd.in/d2BcvwDp. US Army Corps of Engineers #aquatic #ecosystem #ecosystemrestoration #research #appliedresearch #environment #environmental #environmentalengineering #invasive #invasivespecies #climatechange #climatecrisis #sustainable #vegetation #planning #masterplanning #military #installations #modernize #modernization #science #innovation #technology #engineer #engineers #engineering #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

I woke up this morning the same way I did the past five mornings: Checking on my team and the USCGC HEALY. Last night they entered the arctic circle where approximately 0.05% of the world’s population resides. While the sun will rise and set for the next few weeks, there will be no complete darkness. The temperatures will be in the 20s and 30s (°F). As they travel even further north, they will begin to encounter ice that the HEALY’s sturdy hull was designed to crush and split. While breaking ice, the ship will moan and shutter… Will the crew maintain healthy sleep? Will they maintain optimum performance? How will this environment affect their mood? These are a few of the important questions we will answer in the next 7 weeks. And they are increasingly important questions as we bolster our national security efforts in the artic region. More on the research project here: https://lnkd.in/giJimdmE US Navy | United States Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard | Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) | Naval Postgraduate School | CAMRE | NPS Crew Endurance Team

Because degradation of permafrost has the potential to affect soil thermal, hydrological, and vegetation regimes, research completed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) created a coupled representation of soil thermal state and hydrological dynamics. https://lnkd.in/g4kdTFpu #gssha #watershedmodeling #hydrologicmodel #civilengineering

Check out the Chapter on Wetlands featuring Great Lakes Wetlands to learn more about our project and current work in Defiance, OH! 

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Hui Christophersen from the Marine Meteorology Division attended the 8th World Meteorological Organization (WMO) workshop in Norrköping Sweden. The workshop covered the Impact of Various Observing Systems on Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and Earth System Prediction. The workshop is an important quadrennial venue for providing science evidence on the impacts of surface- and space-based observing systems, on short- to medium- and longer-range NWP forecasting including climate monitoring. Conclusions from the workshop provide guidance on how to optimize the use of the current global observing system as well as help guide its future evolution. Hui presented the impact studies on a recent tech demo mission called COWVR (Compact Ocean Wind Vector Radiometer). Despite being smaller in size and a fraction of the cost compared to the legacy satellite sensors, the assimilation of COWVR data exhibited a comparable impact to those legacy sensors. US Navy United States Department of Defense #NRL #people #partnerships #revolutionize #innovate #STEM #usnavy #lab #education #scientist #NRLresearch #ScientificAdvancements #scientificresearch #FutureTech #research #engineering #engineers #science #technology

Today we join the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to mark Earth Day. Among the questions we seek to answer, and among the points of emphasis this year, is how we can better restore and protect the environment. This mission drives our efforts in both the civil works arena and in support of our Armed Forces. Today, we are working with the U.S. Army to develop new construction materials and techniques that minimize the carbon footprint of traditional building practices. Our work with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps aims to create nature-based solutions for stronger, more resilient coastlines around military installations. We’ve harnessed new technologies to significantly reduce the amount of water that must be transported along supply lines for our troops. This efficiency is crucial as they advance in contested and austere environments. In support of civil works, our team of engineers and scientists has discovered innovative ways to use sediment from ongoing dredging operations in our nation’s ports and waterways. The result is 3D-printed, nature-inspired structures that can be deployed to safeguard our coastal communities. We are continuing to discover new techniques to use natural materials, such as biological-based polymers, to strengthen earthen dams and levees. Additionally, we are researching how certain worm species can digest plastics. By understanding their digestion process, we aim to develop eco-friendly solutions for plastic waste. We’re also studying cockroaches and their remarkable sensing abilities. By mimicking their detection mechanisms, we can develop environmental sensors capable of detecting threats in real time. We do not have the time, nor the space, to share all the programs and projects that have placed ERDC at the forefront of engineering excellence in this mission space and so many others. We have committed ourselves to discovering, developing, and delivering engineering solutions across multiple domains, with restoring and protecting the environment among our most vital roles. Happy Earth Day! United States Department of Defense US Army US Army Corps of Engineers #earthday #earthday2024 #earth #environment #environmental #environmentalsustainability #ecosystems #coastalcommunities #coastalresilience #military #civilworks #water #resources #resourcemanagement #nature #naturebasedsolutions #science #innovation #technology #research #researchandddevelopment #PowerofERDC

How does all this impact the average enlisted Joe or Jane? The Air Land Sea Application Center laid out a scenario where an artillery battalion is trying to conduct a training exercise in Cambodia. Like most of the military, the battalion is fully plugged in, with satellite communications on a super-high frequency band to keep in touch with higher command; a counter-fire radar system for finding enemy artillery; an ultrahigh frequency radio for talking with forward observers calling in fire missions; an advanced field artillery tactical data system for planning and coordinating those fire missions, and other gizmos for providing effective fire support. But it’s all a pile of junk if a big solar flare comes through. “All of a sudden, the UHF radio transmission becomes broken and unreadable, the AFATDS data that does get through has Global Positioning System positions hundreds of meters off from previous calls for fire and the [counter-fire radar] is not picking up any artillery rounds—even though you know the guns are firing,” the Air Land Sea Application Center wrote. “The discrepancies are due to a solar storm.” #spaceweather #defence #solarflares