5 Oct 2023

José María Gil Adobe: Historic Context, Maintenance Issues, Measured Drawings, and Adaptive Reuse

Abstract: The José María Gil Adobe, located on Fort Hunter Liggett, California, was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1974. The building has been vacant since the early 1970s. It is a fine example of a small adobe ranch house possessing character-defining features of its period of significance of the mid-19th century on its exterior, interior, and within the site itself. This document is a reconstruction, repair, maintenance, and adaptive reuse report compiled with photographed, written, and drawn as-is conditions of construction materials of the José María Gil Adobe building and site. The building was 3D scanned to obtain the necessary information for the measured drawings. The secretary of the interior’s guidelines on rehabilitation and repair per material are discussed to provide the cultural resources manager at Fort Hunter Liggett a guide to maintain this historic building. Rehabilitation is the best option for the successful reuse of the José María Gil Adobe as it will move the building from a vacant status to an occupied status. It is highly likely that this building can again serve an appropriate use as outlined in Section 11, reflecting its appearance in the early 20th century or WWII periods.

5 Oct 2023

Beneficial Use of Dredged Material: A Workshop to Explore Engineered Drainage Soils for Stormwater Management

PURPOSE: Beneficial use of dredged material in engineered soils is an alternative to achieve environmental and economic sustainability for waterway operations. Engineered soils can combine navigation and environmental dredging with municipal and commercial waste streams to create a valuable commercial soil product while reducing public operating costs, creating economic opportunity, and creating better soil products for lower cost. The need, opportunities, and challenges to establishing an Illinois Waterway-based commercial soil industry were explored by river, highway, stormwater, environmental resource managers, and industry experts in a workshop in Peoria, IL, on 4–5 September 2019.

4 Oct 2023

Full-Scale Trafficability Testing of Prototype Submersible Matting Systems

Abstract: This report describes the full-scale evaluation of prototype submersible matting systems (SUBMAT) at a test site at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Vicksburg, Mississippi, site. The SUBMAT prototypes were designed to bridge the gap between high and low tide at a beach interface to enable 24-hour operation at an expeditionary watercraft landing site. This phase of the SUBMAT prototype development was intended to determine prototype system durability by applying military vehicle loads representing a combat brigade insertion across a littoral zone. The two mat systems evaluated in this study were the PYRACELL Road Building System (PRBS) and a basaltic rebar mat system. The results of the study showed that the PRBS system was able to sustain 1,000 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, 350 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, and over 150 M1A1 main battle tank passes without significant damage. The basaltic rebar mat failed early in the test and was removed from further consideration for the SUBMAT application. Observations and lessons learned from this phase of the prototype PRBS development will be used to improve the PRBS design and modify its installation procedures for improved efficiency.

3 Oct 2023

Historic Context for Railroads at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin

Abstract: This report provides a historic context for the railroads that operated within the present-day boundaries of Fort McCoy. The objective of this historic context is to deliver a useful reference for future evaluations of railroad-related resources in the installation. Ultimately, the report is in-tended to save the installation time in determining potential areas of significance for future evaluations. This is accomplished through the creation of a broad historic context for railroading in the Midwest, establishing a survey of railroad history at Fort McCoy, and providing examples of areas of significance and National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) criteria commonly applied to the historic railroad resources of the Midwest. This report does not provide NRHP eligibility recommendations for any specific resources; however, possible research questions for further study are posited in the concluding chapter.

3 Oct 2023

Pattern Language for a More Resilient Future

Abstract: The Department of the Army (DA) manages millions of acres of land for military use. Military installations and other US DoD operations contain architectural structures and civil infrastructure that require continuous improvements to resiliency. This includes resiliency in the form of protection against both natural and man-made disasters. This document seeks to identify multiple risks to infrastructure and people and encourages open dialogue for creative solutions. Designers and engineers as well as other disciplines can work together to achieve higher resiliency in both new and renovated work. The following sections are created to provide a starting guide, utilizing various tools to discover the best resilient design strategies for your building. This special report will argue for actionable design strategies; drawing inspiration from historical building forms, while also looking toward emerging technologies that should be further explored.

29 Sep 2023

A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions of Forested Riverine Wetlands in Alluvial Valleys of the Piedmont Region of the United States

Abstract: The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach is used for developing and applying models for the site-specific assessment of wetland functions. It was initially designed for use in the context of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Regulatory Program permit review process to analyze project alternatives, minimize impacts, assess unavoidable impacts, determine mitigation requirements, and monitor the success of compensatory mitigation. However, a variety of other potential uses have been identified, including the design of wetland restoration projects, projecting ecological outcomes, developing success criteria and performance standards, and adaptive monitoring and management of wetlands. This guidebook provides an overview of the HGM approach including classification and characterization of the principal alluvial riverine wetlands identified in the Piedmont physiography. Eight potential subclasses of Piedmont wetlands, including Headwater, Low- and Mid-gradient Riverine, Floodplain Depression, Footslope Seeps, Flats, Precipitation Depressions, and Fringe wetlands were recognized. However, the occurrence of Flats, Precipitation Depressions, and Fringe wetlands in the Piedmont, are uncommon and not generally associated with alluvial riverine systems which is the subject of this Guidebook. Detailed HGM assessment models and protocols are presented for the five most common Piedmont riverine subclasses: Headwater, Low- and Mid-gradient Riverine, Floodplain Depression, and Footslope Seep. For each wetland subclass, the guidebook presents (a) the rationale used to select the wetland functions considered in the assessment process, (b) the rationale used to select assessment models, and (c) the functional index calibration curves developed from reference wetlands used in the assessment models. The guidebook outlines an assessment protocol for using the model variables and functional indices to assess each wetland subclass. The appendices provide field data collection forms. In addition, an automated spreadsheet model is provided to make calculations.

29 Sep 2023

Development and Characterization of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete for the Rehabilitation of Navigation Lock Structures

Abstract: This report details the history of vertical lock wall repairs and the development and laboratory characterization of an ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) using locally sourced materials for improved durability of lock walls subjected to impact and abrasion from navigational vessels. This UHPC, referred to as Lock-Tuf, has been designed for use in a precast environment with ambient curing methods and serves as a material proof-of-concept for future lock wall rehabilitations. Mechanical properties such as unconfined compressive strength, flexural response, tensile capacity, impact resistance, and abrasion resistance have been quantified experimentally.

29 Sep 2023

Low Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) Payload for Autonomous Navigation and Mapping on an Unmanned Ground Vehicle

Abstract: Autonomous navigation and unknown environment exploration with an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is extremely challenging. This report investigates a mapping and exploration solution utilizing low size, weight, power, and cost payloads. The platform presented here leverages simultaneous localization and mapping to efficiently explore unknown areas by finding navigable routes. The solution utilizes a diverse sensor payload that includes wheel encoders, 3D lidar, and red-green-blue and depth cameras. The main goal of this effort is to leverage path planning and navigation for mapping and exploration with a UGV to produce an accurate 3D map. The solution provided also leverages the Robot Operating System

29 Sep 2023

Arctic Seed Sterilization and Germination

Abstract: We conducted growth chamber experiments to overcome challenges of native seed germination relating to disease and germination time. We selected five northern species, Eriophorum vaginatum, E. virginicum, Anemone patens var. multifida, Polemonium reptans, and Senecio congestus, for their native ranges and commercial-nursery availability. Recommended stratification time for each species was either unknown or a minimum of 60 days. Seeds were sterilized with 70% ethanol, 10% hydrogen peroxide, or UVC light to identify which method most effectively prevented pathogen infection. To determine if stratification time could be reduced, seeds underwent a 30-day cold, moist stratification. We tested which growth medium was most conducive to germination of the sterilized, stratified seeds: filter paper or sterilized potting soil. In a separate experiment, we tested if three different levels of gibberellic acid (GA3; 0, 500, and 1000 ppm) could reduce stratification time to 15 days. The 70% ethanol was effective in a seed surface sterilization; an average of 84% of all seeds for all species treated showed no contamination. Germination following a 30-day cold, moist stratification was unsuccessful for most species tested in both growth media. Here, 1000 ppm GA3 with a 15-day cold, moist stratification showed considerable success with P. reptans.

29 Sep 2023

Microbial Activity in Dust-Contaminated Antarctic Snow

Abstract: During weather events, particles can accumulate on the snow near the Pegasus ice and Phoenix compacted-snow Runways at the US McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The deposited particles melt into the surface, initially forming steep-sided holes, which can widen into patches of weak and rotten snow and ice. These changes negatively impact the ice and snow runways and snow roads trafficked by vehicles. To understand the importance of microbes on this process, we examined deposited dust particles and their microbial communities in snow samples collected near the runways. Snow samples were analyzed at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory where we performed a respiration study to measure the microbial activity during a simulated melt, isolated microorganisms, examined particle-size distribution, and performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We measured higher levels of carbon dioxide production from a sample containing more dust than from a sample containing less dust, a finding consistent with viable dust-associated microbial communities. Additionally, eleven microorganisms were isolated and cultured from snow samples containing dust particles. While wind patterns and satellite images suggest that the deposited particles originate from nearby Black Island, comparisons of the particle size and chemical composition were inconclusive.