Épisodes

  • #30: Oil on Ice: Improving spill response in frigid regions

    #30: Oil on Ice: Improving spill response in frigid regions
    Oct 11 2024
    The environmental and economic toll of large-scale oil spills, such as the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon incidents, can linger for decades. That’s why research into better techniques and technologies for rapidly responding to these disasters is critical. One aspect of oil spill response that requires particular attention is the effect of ice and frigid temperatures, which can change oil properties and make the substance more difficult to locate or extract. Through the world-class expertise and facilities at its Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), ERDC has developed a unique capability to enable in-depth research into mitigating oil spills on ice. As ERDC collaborates with partners to find these innovative solutions, first responders will be better equipped to have the greatest impact should a disaster occur. We discuss ERDC’s oil-on-ice research with Kate Trubac, a research general engineer at CRREL. We talk with Kate about the challenges of oil spill cleanup (3:34), how icy conditions make it even more difficult (4:26), and why it is important to study this topic (6:27). We also discuss ERDC’s role in this research (9:30, 10:52), how it supports a variety of strategies (18:01), its collaboration with partners (9:49), and what the future holds (35:12). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    38 min
  • #29: Underkeel Clearance: Quantifying demand for USACE dredging

    #29: Underkeel Clearance: Quantifying demand for USACE dredging
    Jul 31 2024
    The ships calling upon U.S. ports have grown larger, and navigation channels must be dredged to greater depths to handle them. However, dredging is expensive, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) needs more data-driven tools to prioritize limited resources more efficiently. Responding to this need, ERDC developed Underkeel Clearance. Applying newly available ship location data and combining it with other data points, this metric directly measures how often ship keels approach the bottom of a channel. By analyzing how ships are using the dredging USACE already provides and highlighting the areas with the highest volume of ships with limited clearance, Underkeel Clearance gives USACE waterway managers new insight to better quantify channel maintenance requirements. The project falls under the USACE Coastal Inlets Research Program. We discuss Underkeel Clearance with Dr. David Young and Dr. Brandan Scully, research civil engineers at ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory. Topics include how dredging decisions have traditionally been made (3:07), how Underkeel Clearance can improve this methodology (5:33) and surprises that have emerged as researchers began analyzing Underkeel Clearance data (14:46). We also talk about how this tool could change USACE dredging operations (17:23), other use cases of this data (21:32) and what the future holds for the effort (33:47). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    39 min
  • #28: Advanced manufacturing: Using 3D printing, new materials and optimized designs to produce large-scale components

    #28: Advanced manufacturing: Using 3D printing, new materials and optimized designs to produce large-scale components
    May 1 2024
    As America’s civil works infrastructure facilities age beyond their initial design lives, so do the thousands of individual components that keep them functioning. These original components were often fabricated using vintage material and manufacturing methods, making them costly, burdensome and time-consuming to replicate. However, if one of these parts were to suddenly break, that failure could shut down a facility for months, causing significant national economic damage. Faced with this challenge, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is studying how innovative techniques, such as additive manufacturing (large-scale 3D printing), advanced materials and design optimization can be used to replace vintage infrastructure components faster and at a lower cost while maintaining, and even improving, their properties. This research resulted in a recent collaboration with the USACE Detroit District and Lincoln Electric to manufacture the largest U.S. civil works infrastructure component produced by a 3D printer – a 12-foot-long, 6,000-pound metal part for the ship arrestor system on the Poe Lock, one of two active locks on the Soo Locks facility. We discuss ERDC’s advanced manufacturing research with Dr. Robert Moser and Dr. Zack McClelland from ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory. Moser is a Senior Scientific Technical Manager for Materials, Manufacturing and Structures, and McClelland is a research mechanical engineer. We talk about the existing state of aging infrastructure and the role additive manufacturing can play to meet this challenge (3:49), how ERDC became involved in 3D printing and how that capability has evolved (7:09), ERDC’s focus areas for advanced manufacturing R&D (11:36), and the project to manufacture the largest U.S. civil works infrastructure component produced by a 3D printer (18:40). We also discuss how ERDC is working to overcome some of the challenges of 3D-printing large infrastructure components (25:27), how ERDC’s high-performance computing capability boosts this effort (28:49), how it has benefitted from military research (39:02) and what the future holds (49:11). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    53 min
  • #27: RAIL: Making it easier to transport armored vehicles to austere locations

    #27: RAIL: Making it easier to transport armored vehicles to austere locations
    Oct 30 2023
    Despite modern transportation advancements, rail remains a superior method for moving heavy military equipment over vast inland distances. However, transporting tanks by train requires railyard facilities with specialized equipment capable of moving the armored vehicles onto and off of the rail cars. In response, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) developed the Rapidly Available Interface for trans-Loading (RAIL), a transportable ramp system that allows military vehicles to be onloaded or offloaded anywhere along a rail line. A collaboration between ERDC and the Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC), RAIL will provide greater operational flexibility to quickly transport armored vehicles where they are most needed. We talk about RAIL with Justin Strickler, chief of the Engineering Systems and Materials Division at ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory. Topics discussed include the importance of trains to a modernized U.S. force (3:29) and how RAIL can improve current practice for loading and off-loading heavy armored vehicles (4:48) and enable more agile power projection for U.S. and Allied Forces (8:16). We also discuss the system’s versatility (16:50), how it was developed in collaboration with GVSC (21:12) by rapidly adapting technology for offloading battle tanks at damaged seaport facilities (11:18), and how the effort has leveraged ERDC’s deep expertise in force projection (30:32). For more information on RAIL, contact Strickler at Justin.S.Strickler (at) usace.army.mil. For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    36 min
  • #26: Sand Boil Filter: A more efficient tool to combat internal levee erosion

    #26: Sand Boil Filter: A more efficient tool to combat internal levee erosion
    Aug 2 2023
    When river levels rise, so does the threat of sand boils, which occur when water bubbles out of the ground near the base of a levee, surrounded by a mound of displaced soil. Caused by increased pressure, sand boils are a visible sign of erosion within a levee. And unless they are treated immediately, these sand boils will grow and more sediment will be displaced, escalating the risk of a catastrophic breach. However, the current method for fighting sand boils is difficult, expensive and dangerous, requiring hundreds of sandbags. To simplify this cumbersome process, ERDC researchers have developed a special lightweight filter that can be inserted into a sand boil to alleviate the pressure and stop the erosion. A single person could install it in about 15 minutes, allowing personnel to alleviate multiple sand boils more safely and efficiently – providing greater protection to our nation’s critical levee systems and the lives and livelihoods they defend. We discuss these Sand Boil Filter kits with Samantha Lucker, a research geologist with ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory. We talk about why sand boils must be promptly addressed (5:04), and how ERDC’s new filters will improve on the current process (7:56) and enable better levee management (9:04). We also discuss how this effort started (17:00), how it builds on ERDC’s deep expertise in studying the Mississippi River (22:54), and how researchers are improving the filter’s design (21:00) to increase its usage (25:23). For more information on these Sand Boil Filter kits, contact Lucker at Samantha.L.Lucker (at) usace.army.mil. For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    30 min
  • #26: Sand Boil Filter: A more efficient tool to combat internal levee erosion

    #26: Sand Boil Filter: A more efficient tool to combat internal levee erosion
    Aug 2 2023
    When river levels rise, so does the threat of sand boils, which occur when water bubbles out of the ground near the base of a levee, surrounded by a mound of displaced soil. Caused by increased pressure, sand boils are a visible sign of erosion within a levee. And unless they are treated immediately, these sand boils will grow and more sediment will be displaced, escalating the risk of a catastrophic breach. However, the current method for fighting sand boils is difficult, expensive and dangerous, requiring hundreds of sandbags. To simplify this cumbersome process, ERDC researchers have developed a special lightweight filter that can be inserted into a sand boil to alleviate the pressure and stop the erosion. A single person could install it in about 15 minutes, allowing personnel to alleviate multiple sand boils more safely and efficiently – providing greater protection to our nation’s critical levee systems and the lives and livelihoods they defend. We discuss these Sand Boil Filter kits with Samantha Lucker, a research geologist with ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory. We talk about why sand boils must be promptly addressed (5:04), and how ERDC’s new filters will improve on the current process (7:56) and enable better levee management (9:04). We also discuss how this effort started (17:00), how it builds on ERDC’s deep expertise in studying the Mississippi River (22:54), and how researchers are improving the filter’s design (21:00) to increase its usage (25:23). For more information on these Sand Boil Filter kits, contact Lucker at Samantha.L.Lucker (at) usace.army.mil. For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    30 min
  • #25: CorpsCam: Enabling more proactive coastal management through real-time monitoring and data

    #25: CorpsCam: Enabling more proactive coastal management through real-time monitoring and data
    Jun 30 2023
    Monitoring large and constantly changing coastlines can be expensive, time consuming and dangerous. Traditional surveying methods are also limited because they only provide a single snapshot in time and don’t capture the full picture. As a result, coastal managers don’t always have the information they need to understand dynamic coastal conditions and plan projects that preserve our nation’s coasts, protect the environment, and support the economy. To overcome this knowledge gap, ERDC launched CorpsCam, which uses remote video technology to better monitor federal beach and other coastal projects. CorpsCam can rapidly analyze a variety of images, from cellphone pictures uploaded by citizen scientists to scientific-grade video captured by high-end cameras, to provide hourly data on beach state, erosion rates, bathymetry, wave parameters and more. It is enabling better project designs and more proactive coastal management. Joining us to talk about CorpsCam are Dr. Brittany Bruder, Dr. Ian Conery and Sean McGill from ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL). Bruder is a research coastal engineer based at CHL’s Field Research Facility (FRF) on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and Conery is a research oceanographer based at the FRF. McGill is a research physical scientist at CHL’s Vicksburg location. Topics include what CorpsCam is and how it can improve coastal resilience (4:06), how it got started (18:50), and the types of locations the effort is targeting (12:48). We also talk about ERDC’s Field Research Facility and its capabilities (22:21) and growing military portfolio (26:36). And we discuss past CorpsCam projects (28:11) and what lies ahead for this effort (39:06). For more information on CorpsCam, visit https://coastalimaging.erdc.dren.mil/CorpsCam or email Bruder at Brittany.L.Bruder (at) usace.army.mil. For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    44 min
  • #25: CorpsCam: Enabling more proactive coastal management through real-time monitoring and data

    #25: CorpsCam: Enabling more proactive coastal management through real-time monitoring and data
    Jun 30 2023
    Monitoring large and constantly changing coastlines can be expensive, time consuming and dangerous. Traditional surveying methods are also limited because they only provide a single snapshot in time and don’t capture the full picture. As a result, coastal managers don’t always have the information they need to understand dynamic coastal conditions and plan projects that preserve our nation’s coasts, protect the environment, and support the economy. To overcome this knowledge gap, ERDC launched CorpsCam, which uses remote video technology to better monitor federal beach and other coastal projects. CorpsCam can rapidly analyze a variety of images, from cellphone pictures uploaded by citizen scientists to scientific-grade video captured by high-end cameras, to provide hourly data on beach state, erosion rates, bathymetry, wave parameters and more. It is enabling better project designs and more proactive coastal management. Joining us to talk about CorpsCam are Dr. Brittany Bruder, Dr. Ian Conery and Sean McGill from ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL). Bruder is a researcher coastal engineer based at CHL’s Field Research Facility (FRF) on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and Conery is a research oceanographer based at the FRF. McGill is a research physical scientist at CHL’s Vicksburg location. Topics include what CorpsCam is and how it can improve coastal resilience (4:06), how it got started (18:50), and the types of locations the effort is targeting (12:48). We also talk about ERDC’s Field Research Facility and its capabilities (22:21) and growing military portfolio (26:36). And we discuss past CorpsCam projects (28:11) and what lies ahead for this effort (39:06). For more information on CorpsCam, visit https://coastalimaging.erdc.dren.mil/CorpsCam or email Bruder at Brittany.L.Bruder (at) usace.army.mil. For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.
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    44 min