How do engineers know whether a structure can withstand an extreme load without waiting for a real-world failure to provide the answer? At ERDC’s Structural Testing and Analysis Research (STAR) facility, researchers intentionally push structural systems toward their limits. The facility combines a large structural strong floor with impact-testing capability, allowing engineers to study how…
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An ERDC team completed a five-year effort to install and integrate 182 sensors along the length of Alaska’s Moose Creek Dam, allowing engineers to continually and remotely monitor dam conditions. Listen to Episode 83 to learn more about the effort; its impact on reducing flooding around Fairbanks and North Pole, Alaska; and how the lessons…
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ERDC is partnering with the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) to expand a regional Mesonet to collect more localized weather and soil observations. The ERDC project will add 50 surface stations to ULM’s growing network, with a focus on data-sparse areas in and near the Lower Mississippi River basin. Listen to Episode 82 to learn…
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Modifying modern navigation channels or constructing new inland navigation infrastructure or structures without prior simulation creates potential safety hazards and millions of dollars in unnecessary construction or dredging costs. To solve this, the U.S. Army Watercraft and Ship Simulator blends physics-based modeling with local pilot expertise — delivering optimized civil works designs that reduce project…
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Natural dunes are a powerful tool for coastal resilience, but engineers need more knowledge about their unique dynamics to fully harness their potential. Listen to Episode 79 to learn more about an innovative ERDC research project that relocated a live dune segment from a Florida beach to a Mississippi laboratory to study the ecological drivers of…
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Annual glacial outburst floods from Alaska’s Suicide Basin release huge volumes of water into the Mendenhall River valley in just hours, threatening downstream communities and infrastructure near Juneau. Because traditional monitoring systems are often unable to handle the harsh environment around the basin, ERDC is looking to deploy a rugged, non-contact terrestrial lidar system –…
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Extreme weather events are not unique to the United States. That’s 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. Listen to episode 77 to learn more about the research Dr. Amanda Tritinger will be conducting in Japan…
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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. Listen to episode 75 (PowerofERDCPodcast.org/75-research-before-after-september-11) to learn about ERDC’s work before and after 9/11 and the research that helped protect people, military personnel and…
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ERDC’s Centrifuge Research Complex helps scientists and engineers model large-scale infrastructure problems in miniature while recreating real-world stress conditions. Listen to episode 71 to learn more about how the complex allows researchers to test failure mechanisms that would be too dangerous, expensive or impractical to recreate in the field. You can also watch a video…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPk2PSFNWeY&authuser=0 ERDC launched SandSnap to build a national database of sand-grain size, filling a critical knowledge gap that will enable better beach management. Listen to episode 69 to learn more about SandSnap’s latest advancements and how it is making our coastlines more resilient to storms. You can also watch a video of the episode. MORE…
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