Archives: Episode

#17: Modernizing the B-52 Through Supercomputing

Since entering service in 1955, the B-52 Stratofortress has held strategic importance as the most combat capable bomber in the U.S. inventory. However, the newest B-52 dates to 1962, and it has become increasingly difficult to find parts to service its original engines. To keep this valuable aircraft flying, the Air Force embarked on a…

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#16: Invasive Fisheries

Invasive carp species pose a significant threat to native fisheries, disrupting ecological balances, inflicting economic harm and hampering recreational activities. One effort to mitigate this threat is focused on blocking these fish from entering the Great Lakes, where they could significantly disrupt a $7-billion fishing industry. Guided by ERDC research, a series of electric barriers…

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#15: Joint Planning Services

It can take months or years for the Department of Defense to develop strategic and operational plans, with people, information and tools often scattered and stove-piped into silos. ERDC researchers have been working to develop a digital map-based environment for remote collaboration in near real time, enabling faster and more complete military planning to support…

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#14: Airfield Damage Repair

Given the strategic importance of air power in military conflicts, airfields often become targets. With airfield expertise that dates to World War II, ERDC has a rich history of developing solutions to rapidly repair and sustain airfields. Today, ERDC develops material and equipment solutions, as well as construction procedures, to push current Airfield Damage Repair…

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#13: Permafrost Basic Research

Permafrost, or ground that has been frozen for at least two years, covers roughly a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere. And it is teeming with microbes, including many with unique characteristics that have allowed them to adapt to extremely low temperatures and survive for decades. As climate change threatens to thaw permafrost and revive these…

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#12: Structural Health Monitoring

Given the aging condition and economic importance of much of the nation’s navigation infrastructure, asset managers need accurate and real-time information on the conditions of structures operating well beyond their expected design lives. However, visual inspections of structures like locks and dams are often difficult and expensive. ERDC is filling this void with a broad…

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#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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#9: Protecting the Force in a Post-9/11 World

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, our nation needed new ways to protect its civilians and Warfighters, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center answered the call. Leveraging its long history of studying explosive effects and protective structures, ERDC has played a vital role in providing protection solutions throughout the past 20…

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#8: Modeling and Simulation for Unmanned Ground Vehicles

Unmanned ground vehicles carry great potential for the Armed Forces, but before these systems can be deployed, they must undergo rigorous testing to ensure their autonomy can be trusted in difficult conditions. Since the early 2000s, ERDC has assisted this process by developing a suite of modeling and simulation tools that explore how autonomous systems…

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