Civil Works

#11: Rescue Engineering

After a structural collapse disaster, the eyes of the public are intensely focused on search-and-rescue efforts. Less familiar is the work of a special team from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) laboring behind the scenes to ensure the safety of those efforts. The USACE Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) program deploys specially trained…

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#10: DamBot

There are more than 8,000 major dams in the United States, and many of them are beyond their expected design life and require regular inspections and maintenance. The majority are embankment dams that feature outlet works structures that can be up to a half-mile long and that can be dangerous to inspect. Responding to a…

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#7: Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful algal blooms occur in freshwater when aquatic microorganisms, called cyanobacteria, grow rapidly and sometimes release toxins that are dangerous to humans and aquatic life. Such events have been known to compromise drinking water reservoirs, disrupt recreation, shut down fisheries, and kill fish, birds and other aquatic species. And scientists largely agree that these events…

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#6: Ship Simulator

The blockage of Egypt’s Suez Canal in March shone renewed focus on just how many goods are shipped around the world and how fragile those routes can be. Given the shipping industry’s importance in the U.S., American planners must have world-class tools to prevent a comparable disaster from congesting American waterways. ERDC has operated a…

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#5: Ice adhesion basic research

The rapid accumulation of ice creates significant challenges for U.S. military operations and civilian activities in cold environments. It hampers mobility, disrupts communication, creates power outages and degrades infrastructure. That’s why a team of ERDC researchers is conducting innovative basic research to unravel the physical processes of how ice attaches to different surfaces, paving the…

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#3: Cybersecurity

The importance of cybersecurity continues to increase, both as more functions become connected to the internet and as adversaries exploit cyberattacks as a weapon in future conflicts. From the SolarWinds Orion hack to the breach of a Florida water treatment plant, recent attacks have underscored the critical function cybersecurity plays to national security interests. ERDC…

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Podcast Deep Dive: Post-wildfire flood risk management

On Episode #1, we explored ways ERDC is helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local communities better prepare for the increased flooding risk that follows a wildfire. LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE Watch the video below to learn more about how ERDC is helping local communities reduce the risk of these destructive floods by…

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#1: Post-wildfire Flood Risk Management

The intensity and frequency of wildfires in the United States is increasing, bringing immense devastation that is compounded by a lesser-known threat. Flood risks also increase exponentially after a wildfire due to sediment hazards, vegetation loss, soil changes and the reduced capacity of reservoirs. Destructive debris floods can be 1,000-times larger than pre-wildfire floods. In…

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USACE Civil Works R&D: Value to the Nation

Through its Civil Works missions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers supports the national economy, community resilience, and human and ecosystem health with focus on: Navigation, Flood and Coastal Risk Management, and Ecosystem Restoration. Inherent in these mission’s is the efficient and effective design, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of our nation’s vast portfolio of infrastructure…

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ERDC: Serving the Warfighter and the Nation

Did you know that ERDC is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ premier research and development organization? ERDC conduct world-class research, with world-class people, focused on solving challenges for the Warfighter and Nation. Learn more about the work ERDC does in this short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQ7gx9PXcQ

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