Podcast episodes

#83: Guarding Alaska’s Longest Earthen Dam: ERDC integrates 182 sensors to replace hand measurements

November 3, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Podcast episodes 0:39:06 0 Comments

The Moose Creek Dam is a 7.5-mile-long earthen dam that protects Fairbanks and North Pole, Alaska, from flooding by regulating the Chena River. Observations during the summer of 2014 revealed more than 1,000 small sand boils, which had the potential to compromise the dam. This discovery emphasized the need to closely monitor groundwater levels around…

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#82: Weather Where It Matters: Closing Critical Data Gaps

October 27, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Podcast episodes 0:27:30 0 Comments

Weather can change dramatically over only a few miles, yet many official observations come from stations separated by much greater distances. Those gaps matter when researchers and decision makers need to know exactly where rain is falling, how saturated the soil is, how quickly conditions are changing, or what those conditions could mean for flooding,…

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#81: Shielding from the Blast: Patented ERDC technology enables safe detonation of underwater unexploded ordnance

October 20, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Installations and Operational Environments, Military Engineering, Podcast episodes 0:31:53 0 Comments

Unexploded military ordnance located underwater pose a significant risk to human safety, aquatic life and marine infrastructure. Better methods are needed to help those tasked with their disposal to safely locate and remove these dangerous munitions. In response, ERDC researchers invented a patented blast shield that can enable safe detonation while mitigating harmful blast pressures…

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#80: Ship simulator takes on key role in civil works projects

October 13, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Military Engineering, Podcast episodes 0:30:52 0 Comments

Navigating modern waterways demands precision engineering to safeguard our economy, prevent maritime accidents and eliminate millions in unnecessary construction and dredging costs. To meet this challenge, an order from U.S. Army leaders and an updated Engineering Regulation have established the U.S. Army Watercraft and Ship Simulator, located at ERDC’s campus in Vicksburg, Mississippi, as the…

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#79: Dune in the Flume: ERDC team relocates natural structure to laboratory to study dynamics

October 6, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Podcast episodes 0:31:04 Comments Off on #79: Dune in the Flume: ERDC team relocates natural structure to laboratory to study dynamics

Natural dunes are a powerful tool for coastal resilience – offering the ability to absorb wave energy, reduce flooding and prevent erosion. However, coastal engineers need more knowledge about their unique dynamics to fully harness their potential. To boost this understanding, an ERDC team relocated a live dune segment from a Florida beach to a…

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#78: Defending Communities from Glacial Floods: ERDC seeks to deploy lidar system in rugged Alaskan environment

September 29, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Military Engineering, Podcast episodes 0:33:41 Comments Off on #78: Defending Communities from Glacial Floods: ERDC seeks to deploy lidar system in rugged Alaskan environment

Annual glacial outburst floods from Suicide Basin present a severe threat to downstream homes, businesses and infrastructure in Juneau, Alaska. As Suicide Glacier retreats, the expanding basin traps massive amounts of seasonal meltwater before suddenly releasing it down the Mendenhall River valley — emptying the basin in 48 hours or less. As the U.S. Army…

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#77: Technical Exchange: ERDC researcher to study flood mitigation strategies in Japan

September 22, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Installations and Operational Environments, Podcast episodes 0:34:27 Comments Off on #77: Technical Exchange: ERDC researcher to study flood mitigation strategies in Japan

Extreme weather events are not unique to the United States. That is why an ERDC researcher will be traveling to Japan to study with experts there and collaborate on strategies that can reduce flood risk in both nations. Dr. Amanda Tritinger, a research civil engineer at ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, was recently selected for…

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#76: Printing Big: How ERDC builds complex structures layer by layer

September 15, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Podcast episodes 0:29:56 Comments Off on #76: Printing Big: How ERDC builds complex structures layer by layer

What if a nearly 600-pound hydraulic structure could be manufactured in only 27 hours? Lucy Slattery, an engineer with ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, joins the Power of ERDC podcast to explain how ERDC researchers are using large-scale additive manufacturing to build complex components for physical modeling, prototyping and engineering research. Slattery describes how the…

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#75: Before and After September 11: ERDC research protected lives on 9/11 and in the ensuing conflicts

September 8, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Civil Works, Military Engineering, Podcast episodes 0:28:37 Comments Off on #75: Before and After September 11: ERDC research protected lives on 9/11 and in the ensuing conflicts

Twenty-five years after September 11, ERDC’s research in force protection, blast effects and critical infrastructure remains an important part of the story of how science and engineering helped our nation respond. In this special episode of the Power of ERDC, we revisit an ERDC Live conversation originally recorded in 2021 for the 20th anniversary of…

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#74: High-Tech Hide and Seek: Innovative testbed pushes underwater UXO detection technology to its limits

September 1, 2026 Christopher Kieffer Military Engineering, Podcast episodes 0:38:47 Comments Off on #74: High-Tech Hide and Seek: Innovative testbed pushes underwater UXO detection technology to its limits

Across the country, coastal waters at Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) potentially contain unexploded ordnance. Finding, identifying, characterizing and, when necessary, safely clearing these munitions in shallow-water environments presents an immense challenge. Cutting-edge robotic systems equipped with advanced sensors, acoustics and precision mapping tools hold potential to locate these hazards. However, these technologies must first…

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