Engineer Research and Development Center News Releases

Simulation of Dredged Material Placement in the San Francisco Bay Using a Multi-Dimensional Hydrodynamics and Sediment Transport Model

Press Operations — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:55:00 GMT

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, has developed an Adaptive Hydraulics (AdH) 2D, hydrodynamic and sediment transport model for San Francisco Bay. This model supports the US Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, in informing navigation and sediment management decisions as part of the Regional Dredged Material Management Plan (RDMMP), which evaluates dredging methods and placement alternatives over a 20-year planning horizon. There is a need to assess the long-term fate of dredged material placed at in-bay sites to better understand associated benefits and potential impacts. This report documents the development, calibration, and validation of the AdH 2D model for conditions in 2022. The model was applied to simulate the multimonth dispersion and transport of dredged material from four sites. Model results demonstrate that sediment transport patterns are influenced by seasonal hydrodynamic forcing and grain-size composition, with coarser material forming stable deposits that persist over time. The findings of this study inform sediment management strategies under the San Francisco Bay RDMMP and support efforts to reduce navigation risks and enhance beneficial use opportunities. The study recommends field data collection to improve sediment characterization at placement sites and strengthen predictive modeling and planning efforts.

Proceedings from the Great Lakes Engineering With Nature® Natural and Nature-Based Features Playbook Workshop

Press Operations — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:53:00 GMT

Abstract: Communities in the Great Lakes are experiencing increased frequency in coastal flooding and erosion, causing property damage, putting lives at risk, and disrupting local economies. To address these challenges, two workshops were conducted (18 February 2025 [virtual] and 26–27 February 2025 [in person]) to collect knowledge, insights, and feedback from community members, policymakers, and Tribal Nations representatives to inform the development of the Engineering With Nature® Great Lakes Playbook. This report documents the workshop outcomes. The playbook is being designed to advance coastal resilience efforts in the region by identifying natural and nature-based features and multiple lines of resilience strategies that address unique natural hazard-related challenges of the Great Lakes. During the workshops, sustainable, resilient, adaptable, and cost-effective solutions were explored and construction and implementation feasibility were discussed along with regulatory and community challenges that are applicable to coastal risks and opportunities around the Great Lakes. By providing location-appropriate examples and clear guidance on how these nature-based and engineered solutions can be implemented, the playbook will enhance understanding of their potential performance in the region and build confidence among federal, state, and local agencies and Tribal Nations in planning, designing, and implementing these sustainable, adaptable, and cost-effective solutions.

Geofencing for Standardized Navigation Lock Cycle Time Analysis

Press Operations — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:51:00 GMT

Abstract: The purpose of this US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) technical note (TN) is to describe the motivation for, and development of, a set of geospatial boundaries (geofences) at standard intervals around navigation lock structures owned or operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). These geofences will be used for automated time-stamp generation in conjunction with Automatic Identification System (AIS) broadcasts from vessels.

Emulation of Peak Storm Surge Across Extended Spatial Domains Using Separable Gaussian Process Techniques

Press Operations — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:51:00 GMT

Abstract: Data-driven emulation of peak storm surge has emerged as a popular strategy for overcoming limitations arising from the computational burden of high-ﬁdelity hydrodynamic numerical models used within coastal risk assessment applications. The surrogate models used for this emulation are developed using suites of synthetic storm simulations, and once calibrated, can replace the original high-ﬁdelity model to establish predictions for new storms. These predictions pertain to the geographic domain, and therefore nodal locations, covered by the original high-ﬁdelity simulation suite. This creates a two-dimensional space for the peak surge predictions, with one corresponding to the storm features and the other to the spatial domain. Gaussian Process techniques have emerged as a widely popular surrogate modeling technique for peak surge emulation. In all GP implementations so far, the spatial variability has been incorporated in the analysis through the metamodel output, considering a multi-output GP implementation. This approach fails to explicitly model spatial dependencies for the peak surge. To address this shortcoming, this study examines an alternative implementation that considers spatial and storm feature variability as part of the metamodel input, establishing a surrogate model that simultaneously predicts the peak storm surge across both the spatial domain and the storm features. For computational tractability, a separable covariance function is considered for the GP, establishing separate kernels for the spatial and storm feature spaces. Particularly for the spatial domain, an adaptive covariance tapering formulation, which infuses sparsity in the corresponding covariance matrix, is adopted to support applications with a large number of nodal locations. A simultaneous calibration approach for the hyperparameters of the separate kernels is further proposed to improve emulation accuracy. Comparisons of computational efﬁciency and accuracy of the alternative GP implementations are established utilizing the Coastal Hazards System–North Atlantic database, with those employing the adaptive covariance tapering formulation evaluated under varying sparsity levels. The case study demonstrates that the simultaneous hyperparameter calibration is beneﬁcial for the separable GP's predictive accuracy, particularly as it relates to the worst-performing nodes in the domain, and that the imposed sparsity level impacts the separable GP's ability to model non-stationary spatial trends in the domain.

Multitemporal Change Detection in the Coastal Zone: Literature Review

Press Operations — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:33:00 GMT

Abstract: Beach volume change is a primary metric for quantifying coastal change due to physical and anthropogenic forces. Volumes provide key inputs for the creation and maintenance of regional sediment budgets that inform engineering decisions and ensure the effective management of sediment. This special report provides a comprehensive literature review of the state of the art for developing beach volume change metrics, including methods, software and tools, and common sources of error. The reviewed literature indicates that common proxy-based methods for developing volumes (e.g., shoreline change analysis and beach profile change analysis) are limited in their applicability for study areas with alongshore geomorphic variability. A digital elevation model (DEM) of difference method used with high-resolution (e.g., 1 m DEM) datasets captures volumes over spatially variable geomorphologies more accurately; however, the literature notes limitations related to elevation dataset coverage and geometries used for aggregating volume quantities. Space-time cube methods enable cell-by-cell comparisons of volumes over multiple time periods within defined neighborhoods and provide additional insights, efficiencies, and flexibilities to afore-mentioned methods. A new beach volume framework is required to address limitations related to geomorphic variability, aggregation units, and dataset coverage.

Encouraging USACE Implementation of Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA): A Pre-ECA Screening Tool and Fracture-Resistance Screening Tool

Press Operations — Thu, 28 May 2026 19:35:00 GMT

Abstract: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) manages a large inventory of hydraulic steel structures (HSS). These HSS are aging, and upon inspection, many show signs of damage including large discontinuities in their members, which threaten the HSS operation. Simply repairing every discontinuity will ensure continued HSS operation but may be unnecessarily expensive. Therefore, USACE seeks to balance its constrained budget with safe, reliable HSS operation. One balancing method is the concept of fitness for service. A discontinuity is evaluated using an acceptance criteria based on the principles of structural analysis and fracture mechanics called an engineering condition assessment (ECA) that decides whether it is fit for service. If a discontinuity is fit for service, the HSS will continue regular operations; if it is not fit for service, the discontinuity will be considered a defect and repaired. However, USACE has not widely adopted ECA. Because of resource constraints, engineers often choose to conservatively repair without considering ECA. This study seeks to alleviate the difficulty in committing resources to an ECA in two ways: (1) by providing logical justification for performing an ECA and (2) by reducing the resources necessary for analysis by providing a fracture-resistance screening tool.

Multi-Temporal Geomorphic Change and Application of the Coastal Engineering Resilience Index Along the Mississippi Mainland Beaches and Dunes

Press Operations — Wed, 27 May 2026 18:43:00 GMT

Abstract: This report addresses the Mobile District’s request for a representative resilient beach and dune profile for the Mississippi mainland beach and dune project. The report summarizes a workflow that uses a custom ArcGIS Pro toolbox and 10 lidar datasets spanning a 22-year period of analysis. The workflow involves (1) lidar data compilation; (2) the extraction of geomorphic features, such as shorelines and dune toes and crests, on over 5,800 profiles along the Mississippi mainland coast; (3) the calculation of Coastal Engineering Resilience Index values for each transect for each lidar dataset; (4) selection of representative resilient profiles for various datasets; (5) development of synthetic profiles and Coastal Engineering Resilience Index (CERI) calculations on those profiles; and (6) data delivery and the development of a Web service hosting the project outcomes. The results of these analyses indicate that the protective width (i.e., from the shoreline to the seawall along the coast) is a major contributor to the resilience of a given section of beach. However, the resilience of these estuarine beaches can also be enhanced by increasing protective elevation. Overall, the work demonstrates the value of applying these workflows and toolboxes during the engineering planning and design phase.

Evaluation of Shore Protection Alternatives at Crescent Beach, Indiana

Press Operations — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:05:00 GMT

Abstract: This report documents a numerical modeling investigation of shore protection alternatives at Crescent Beach, Indiana. The integrated flow, wave, sediment transport, and morphology change Coastal Modeling System (CMS) and the long-term shoreline evolution model, GenCade, were applied to evaluate alternatives. Sediment, elevation, and hydrodynamic data were collected nearby to improve model calibration and validation. Eight alternatives were evaluated, with coastal structures in four, beach nourishments in three, and one with both. Structures other than the continuous rubble ridge (Alternative 4) had minimal or negative influences on sediment transport. Stone sizes and costs were estimated for Alternative 4 using StormSim and extremal forcing from the Coastal Hazards System (CHS) Great Lakes Study, but CMS does not predict impacts that justify rubble ridge construction costs. CMS and GenCade were applied to beach nourishments across a range of volume and sediment grain size distributions. Model evaluations indicate that beach nourishment is the most effective shoreline protection technique, using coarse sand mixed with small stones to achieve a median grain size (d50) of 1.80 millimeters successfully extends the beach nourishment lifecycle, and increasing nourishment volume to 87,455 cubic meters to span in front of Mount Baldy substantially increases downdrift benefits.

Workflow to Build Space-Time Cubes in ArcGIS Pro with High-Resolution Elevation Data

Press Operations — Mon, 18 May 2026 14:31:00 GMT

Abstract: This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) presents a workflow to build space-time cubes (STCs) using high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). The workflow leverages ArcGIS Pro’s mosaic dataset architecture and multidimensional tools to analyze temporal changes across elevation datasets. This workflow is intended to (1) guide users who may not be familiar with STCs through a step-by-step workflow, (2) share a set of best practices, and (3) highlight considerations when using remotely sensed elevation datasets. This CHETN is a part of a larger effort to develop the next generation of volume change tools for application in the coastal environment.

Engineering With Nature® Proving Grounds Innovation Handbook

Press Operations — Thu, 14 May 2026 14:33:00 GMT

Abstract: The Engineering With Nature® Proving Grounds Innovation Handbook provides a comprehensive framework for integrating innovative natural and nature-based features and sediment management strategies to address climate-driven hazards and increase resilience in coastal and fluvial environments. Developed through collaboration between engineers, scientist, landscape architects, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts and divisions, the EWN Handbook showcases a diverse collection of projects within the four coasts of the United States and offers the wide range of approaches available to achieve multiple benefits (economic, ecological, and social) through the application of traditional engineering with natural infrastructure solutions. The document aims to offer practitioners ideas on how to incorporate EWN concepts and strategies in all phases to build more resilient, multifunctional projects that protect communities and ecosystems against future natural hazards.

Beach-fx Version 3.0 User’s Manual

Press Operations — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Abstract: The need to strengthen the linkages between engineering analyses (project performance and evolution) and planning functions (alternative analysis and economic justification) with respect to coastal storm damage reduction projects within the US Army Corps of Engineers led to the development of the life-cycle simulation model Beach-fx. Beach-fx provides a comprehensive analytical framework for evaluating the physical performance and economic benefits and costs of shore protection projects, particularly beach nourishment along sandy shores. The model has been implemented as an event-based Monte Carlo life-cycle simulation tool that is run on desktop computers. This report describes the components, purpose, and operational function of the Beach-fx graphical user interface, including navigation within the interface and the organization and specification of all model input and output data.

Barge Arrest System for Dams on Inland Waterways: Design Criteria

Press Operations — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:27:00 GMT

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), through the Navigation Systems Research Program, has begun developing a barge arrest system to reduce the damage and recovery costs of allisions (impact events) at US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) lock and dam (L&D) sites. This development effort addresses a need for a mitigation strategy to address allisions from uncontrolled, breakaway barges following accidents that occur on a relatively frequent basis near USACE L&D sites summarized in the USACE Statement of Need 1974. These allisions have caused millions of dollars in recovery and repair costs to both the L&D structure and to navigation industry property (USACE 2005). In extreme situations, barge impacts to multiple gates have inhibited USACE’s ability to regulate water levels. This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) describes the general problem and findings from an initial design charette conducted with USACE subject matter experts (SMEs) across various technical disciplines. This initial design charette focused on the identification of design criteria for the prototype design and potential case study sites.

Impact of Vessel Operations on Navigation Channel Stability and the Broader Environment: Insights from a Workshop Held 4–5 September 2024

Press Operations — Mon, 04 May 2026 19:45:00 GMT

Abstract: Vessel operations in the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) portfolio of waterways create a range of environmental and navigation challenges. This report documents the proceedings of a workshop highlighting research and development (R&D) on vessel-related navigation channel stability and associated environmental impacts. Across 13 workshop presentations, three major themes emerged to guide future USACE R&D efforts: (1) the need for better data and standardized processing routines, (2) the need for a streamlined modeling framework that can simulate all relevant physical processes for vessel operation, and (3) the need for improved internal and external partnerships to better address vessel-related issues. Addressing these critical knowledge gaps will advance engineering practice associated with vessel operations in USACE waterways.

Applying Direct Numerical Simulations to Investigate Wave Forcing Against a Vertical Wall

Press Operations — Mon, 04 May 2026 19:19:00 GMT

Abstract: Current engineering standards lack the ability to predict the peak impact forces of breaking waves impinging directly upon coastal structures. In this study solitary waves impacting vertical and tapered walls are investigated. To capture the detailed physics of the wave profile that impacts the wall, two-dimensional direct numerical simulations are applied to model the wave traveling over a simplified bathymetry consisting of an initially uniform depth, followed by a uniform beach ramp and then terminating in a uniform depth inshore region and vertical wall. Such an approach can simulate wave runup on land and then the impact with the vertical or tapered walls. The wall location in the bathymetry was varied to simulate different types of wave impacts, including non-breaking, plunging, and bores. The resulting wave characteristics and wall impact pressures were compared across these varying regimes. The associated wave impact force was extracted and compared to various standards used in coastal engineering, and severe underestimation has been found for plunging and weak plunging type impacts. To address this, in this study, a dimensionless distance parameter has been proposed to provide a unifying trend in regards to the peak impact forcing across the various impact types.

Beneficial Use and Sources of Shoaled Material at Kahului Harbor

Press Operations — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:07:00 GMT

Abstract: Ongoing sediment shoaling in Kahului Harbor is detrimental to navigation as it creates a hazard to vessels operating within the Harbor and necessitates recurring maintenance dredging. This study addressed two aspects of the shoaling in Kahului Harbor. First, the volume of shoaling sediment was estimated based on this and previous research efforts in Kahului Harbor, and the material was evaluated for potential beneficial use as beach placement material. Second, sedimentary geochemical fingerprinting including elemental composition, grain size, and sediment color was assessed and compared to potential terrestrial sources to identify the source of the shoaling sediment for potential future mitigation studies. Results determined that the size and color of the shoaling sediment was not conducive for beach placement and thus would not have a beneficial use aspect unless a need could be identified for fine-grained dark-colored sand in an upland region. Additionally, results identified western Maui as the dominant source of shoaling sediment in Kahului Harbor, likely via high flow events in the Iao Stream. Further studies are suggested to both identify potential uses for the shoaled sediment, as well as to better quantify sediment transport pathways from West Maui into Kahului Harbor to identify potential mitigation strategies.

A Comprehensive Review of the Primary Sources of Uncertainty in Stone Armor Stability

Press Operations — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:08:00 GMT

Abstract: Coastal rubble mound armor stability prediction uncertainty is relatively high in the ﬁeld of civil engineering. The present study aims to provide an in-depth review of the principal sources of stone armor stability uncertainty derived from laboratory experiments. The study delineates the contribution of each source and sub-class to the total uncertainty based on the body of knowledge from the literature and data analysis. Uncertainty is ﬁrst classiﬁed into two main components: aleatory (intrinsic), which is irreducible and arises from the inherent randomness of natural processes, and epistemic uncertainty, which relates to limited knowledge of physical processes, observations, and predictive methods, and can be reduced with appropriate precautions. Epistemic uncertainty is further subdivided into three main categories: data uncertainty (waves and damage), predictive model uncertainty, and experimental errors. The focus is on empirical stability equations and the underlying data and experiments. For each category and sub-class, a semi-quantitative estimation of the coefﬁcient of variation is provided to convey a sense of the magnitude of the component contribution to the total epistemic uncertainty in stability predictions. Results indicate that data uncertainty, particularly related to damage assessment, is the dominant contributor, followed by predictive model uncertainty, while error-related uncertainty have a smaller impact. The ﬁndings highlight the importance of improving data quality and standardization to reduce epistemic uncertainty, thereby enhancing the reliability of empirical design models, and supporting more consistent probabilistic design of rubble mound structures.

Conceptual Sediment Budget Creation Using CorpsCam Imagery: Holland Harbor, Michigan

Press Operations — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:06:00 GMT

Abstract: This Regional Sediment Management (RSM) technical note (TN) discusses the development of a conceptual sediment budget at Holland Harbor, Michigan, using CorpsCam imagery. Imagery from May 2020 through October 2021 was analyzed to calculate volume change along Ottawa Beach, just north of the entrance to Holland Harbor. Shoaling rates and longshore sediment transport rates were calculated to supplement the beach volume change rates, with a sediment budget developed as the final product. This is a companion piece to the ERDC/TN RSM-26-1, Conceptual Sediment Budget Creation Using CorpsCam Imagery: Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia.

Conceptual Sediment Budget Creation Using CorpsCam Imagery: Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia

Press Operations — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:03:00 GMT

Abstract: This Regional Sediment Management technical note (RSM TN) discusses the development of a conceptual sediment budget at Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia, using CorpsCam imagery. Analysis of imagery collected between September 2022 and July 2024 is used to calculate the volume change along the beaches adjacent to the inlet. The final budget incorporates shoaling change rates and estimated longshore-sediment transport rates. This is a companion piece to the ERDC/TN RSM-26-2 Conceptual Sediment Budget Creation Using CorpsCam Imagery: Holland, Michigan.

Sediment Transport Modeling to Evaluate the Performance of a Dredged Channel at Pohoiki Bay, Hawaiʻi, Following the Kīlauea Lower East Rift Zone Eruption

Press Operations — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:18:00 GMT

Abstract: The Kīlauea volcano’s Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ), located approximately 20.5 miles south-southeast from Hilo on the Island of Hawaiʻi, erupted during the summer of 2018, destroying over 700 homes and advancing the shoreline east of the volcano into the Pacific Ocean. The recently formed lava field along the shoreline eroded into Pohoiki Bay, creating a black sand beach that closed access to a boat ramp that was vital to the local community. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Honolulu District, on behalf of the State of Hawaiʻi, requested the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) conduct numerical modeling of the existing condition at and around the bay to evaluate the impact of dredging a channel through the beach to reconnect the boat ramp to the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Modeling System (CMS) was used to evaluate the shoaling rates in the proposed channel. The model was validated with morphology change calculations from a sediment budget, and the results provide a range of possible shoaling rates in the channel. The results of this effort were used to inform the State of Hawaiʻi’s plans to complete construction of a dredged channel in November 2025.

Development of an Agnostic Reservoir Model to Explore Wildﬁre Impact on Water Quality

Press Operations — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:14:00 GMT

Abstract: Despite the growing global concern surrounding the havoc caused by wildﬁres, there are still prominent gaps in knowledge regarding ﬁre effects on nearby waterways. An agnostic CE-QUAL-W2 model was developed to look at the impact of wildﬁres on reservoir water quality, with a focus on harmful algal blooms. The model was informed using ten years of meteorological data from sites in the Paciﬁc Northwest, United States. Wildﬁre scenarios were generated (one each for May, June, July, August, and September) using changes in temperature, total suspended solids, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, organic matter, and solar radiation typical of wildﬁres, informed via literature review. Harmful algal blooms showed the most sensitivity to ﬁres that occurred prior to the growing season, likely due to the inﬂux of phosphate accumulating in the system prior to growth. However, accumulation of nutrients for ﬁres after the growing season showed impacts on blooms the following year. Increases in total dissolved solids during the ﬁre could potentially lead to delays in initial bloom timing due to temporary light limitation. Results from the model runs indicate that wildﬁres can impact reservoir water quality and bloom dynamics not only immediately, but for months to years following a wildﬁre.