Engineer Research and Development Center News

ERDC earns its first Army Superior Unit Award

Justus Reed, Public Affairs Specialist — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:51:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) received recognition for its exemplary support to the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency received its first Army Superior Unit Award streamer during a special ceremony held at ERDC Headquarters.

Helping hands: ERDC employees volunteer for LA wildfire recovery

Carol C. Coleman, public affairs specialist — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:14:08 GMT

Each year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deploys hundreds of trained personnel and resources across the United States and its territories to aid in disaster relief efforts. In the aftermath of hurricanes, fires, floods or infrastructure crises, USACE emergency operations is responsible for coordinating and executing several missions in post-disaster environments. As part of this response, ERDC employees volunteer their time and expertise, making a tangible impact in communities affected by disaster.

Successful ERDC seismic test advances readiness of mass timber shelter

Sophia Espinosa, Public Affairs Specialist — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 19:18:08 GMT

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) took a significant step in transforming contingency construction. In November 2024, researchers conducted a seismic test on an eco-conscious mass timber shelter that highlights the future of relocatable Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) structures.

ERDC’s H2Rescue truck drives into GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Books

Sophia Espinosa, Public Affairs Specialist — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:48:50 GMT

In a partnership with Accelera™ by Cummins, a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title has been set for the longest distance traveled by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) heavy-duty truck without refueling. This prototype truck, designed for emergency response missions, is part of a collaborative project between the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office and Vehicle Technologies Office, the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems (GVSC) Center, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Accelera™ by Cummins.

ERDC researchers use 2D, 3D modeling to aid in hurricane debris assessment

Carol C. Coleman, public affairs specialist — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:07:25 GMT

As recovery efforts continue in western North Carolina, researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) are aiding emergency responders by providing debris pile modeling and estimations.

ERDC’s H2Rescue demonstrated on Capitol Hill

Sophia Espinosa, Public Affairs Specialist — Thu, 23 May 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) H2Rescue made its way to Capitol Hill to the inaugural World Fire Congress in Washington, D.C.

Volcon delivers ERDC’s first all-electric Stag Utility Terrain Vehicle

Sophia Espinosa, Public Affairs Specialist — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:27:37 GMT

Thanks to the latest delivery at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) Contingency Basing Integration Training and Evaluation Center (CBITEC), the push to electrify the battlefield is one step closer.

Natural features to play crucial role in building a more resilient Great Lakes coastline

David F. Bucaro Chief, Planning Branch, USACE Chicago District — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:21:41 GMT

Communities along the Great Lakes coastline are experiencing increased frequency in coastal flooding and erosion, causing property damage, putting lives at risk, and disrupting local economies. With the support of the Engineering With Nature® (EWN) program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) can provide technical direction and guidance to USACE Districts around the nation to look at innovative ways of improving coastal resilience.

Crowdsourcing bathymetry could provide near-time picture of nation’s inland waterways

By Tim Reeves, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 19:55:51 GMT

Taking advantage of vessels already on the water, an effort in the works at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) will use those vessels’ depth finders and GPS to create a snapshot of a channel and any obstructions that may exist.

CRREL researchers test new crude oil spill method, tools

David Marquis — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 20:08:24 GMT

When it comes to oil spills, efficient methods of cleanup play a vital role in mitigating damage. Researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) are testing the effectiveness of a new tool aimed at cleaning up spills called the fire-boom.

Making Waves: ERDC studies oil spill cleanup techniques

David Marquis — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:48:00 GMT

In the event of an oil spill in the ocean, such as an oil tanker tipping over, its container getting breached or an oil rig’s pipeline leaking, immediate response for cleanup is needed. However, at times, it can be difficult to determine the best means of effective oil-spill cleanup.

CRREL tests new ways to measure smoke density

David Marquis — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 12:43:00 GMT

CRREL partners with the U.S. Coast Guard's Research and Development Center and the Environmental Protection Agency to test an aerial drone to determine how effective the device is for measuring air quality and environmental impact of burning oil on water. The aerial drone is a new means of capturing these measurements, and CRREL is one of the few federal agencies with the knowledge, permissions, licenses, and facilities to accommodate in situ burns.

20 years later, ERDC engineer reflects on 9/11, Pentagon wreckage

By Mary Margaret Edney, ERDC public affairs specialist — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 19:00:00 GMT

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001, began like most others did for Dr. Paul Mlakar, who was serving at the time as technical director for force projection for the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). On that particular Tuesday, Mlakar was working out of a hotel room near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he had traveled for a seminar that took place the day before. As he sat in his room preparing for a 9 a.m. EST conference call, an unsettling news report came across his muted TV—the hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 had struck the north Twin Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

ERDC, Microsoft agreement aims to analyze risk of extreme weather in the cloud

Pentagon News — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Modeling the risk of extreme weather and natural disasters along the nation’s coastline is critical to the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) mission of delivering innovative solutions for safer, better world.