4 Feb 2025

Beneficial Use of Dredged Material for Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Habitats: Overcoming Challenges and Seeking New Opportunities

Purpose: There is a critical need to maintain and create conditions that are conducive for long-term survival of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitats, which provide multiple ecosystem services, using dredged material. This technical note (TN) was developed by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)–Environmental Laboratory (EL) to address the specific challenges US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) practitioners at the district and division level face that impede the development of beneficial use of dredged material (BUDM) projects to restore, conserve, and expand SAV habitats. Different ways to overcome these challenges and opportunities that should be further explored are also addressed. The information in this TN was synthesized from discussions at a virtual workshop for USACE practitioners.

3 Feb 2025

Notes on Bedload Sediment Collector Deployment: Eau Claire River, Wisconsin

Purpose: A bedload sediment collector field deployment was conducted during low flow conditions from August 2023 to September 2023 on the Eau Claire River, Wisconsin, to assess the operation and performance of a 12 ft bedload sediment collector (BSC). This initial deployment of the technology served to familiarize the research team with the new 12 ft BSC system in preparation for its potential deployment during high flow conditions and at other locations. The insights from this study are intended to identify opportunities to use this technology, particularly in the Upper Mississippi River navigation system.

3 Feb 2025

Mediated Model Development for Coastal Marsh Management in the Chesapeake Bay

Purpose: The purpose of this technical note is to develop a conceptual model that describes the critical processes, stressors, and interactions that affect coastal marsh dynamics within the Chesapeake Bay, as identified by subject matter experts, and then link those factors to specific management actions. Managing coastal marshes within Chesapeake Bay involves multiple stakeholders across federal, state, local, and nongovernmental agencies. Reaching consensus among large stakeholder groups can be difficult, since each has their own perspective and requirements for management. Mediated modeling is a technique that facilitates consensus building among stakeholders and provides a transparent roadmap for decision-making. This technical note describes how mediated modeling was applied to marsh management in Chesapeake Bay. On 4–5 May 2022, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Integrated Ecological Modeling Team (EcoMod) partnered for a multistakeholder mediated modeling workshop to (1) build a conceptual model that depicts the relevant processes impacting marsh dynamics, and (2) identify indicators that are necessary for tracking marsh conditions, which inform needed management strategies. This conceptual model provides the foundation for the development of a marsh management decision framework that will use indicators to identify marsh conditions that subsequently trigger management decisions.

3 Feb 2025

Overview of a Rapid Discrete Infrared Acquisition System and Method for Automated Behavioral Analysis of Multiple Emissive Objects

Purpose: Many animal species form congregations on the landscape. These concentrations of animals provide an opportunity for biologists to conduct efficient population monitoring efforts. While general use of these sites is easy to document, continual monitoring is often problematic due to limited resources (time, expertise, etc.), potential for human disturbance on animal population and behavior, and an inability to determine an accurate assessment of counts. To allow for accurate and efficient assessment of animal numbers and usage of an area, an automated technology has been developed to monitor and characterize large animal concentrations. This automated technology provides information on population size, movement behavior characteristics, and other behavioral aspects of the target species.

30 Jan 2025

Investigation of Bioplastic Degradation for Military In-Field Applications Implementation of Sustainable Practices into the US Military for Rapid Biodegrading Polylactic Acid (PLA) Plastic in Compostable Environments

Abstract: The Army Climate Strategy has identified goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to reach net-zero Army GHG emissions by 2050. Producing fossil-fuel-based plastics releases GHG emissions and plastic bottles are difficult to dispose, especially in contingency locations. Soldiers prefer hydrating with plastic water bottles, which leads to GHG emissions. This project investigates using bioplastics for water bottles. These bioplastics are produced from natural materials and can break down faster with alternative disposal methods, such as composting. Challenges include finding a material with a stable shelf life and the capability to hold water, but also one that that degrades with ease in the right composting environment. As part of this project, partners at the University of Minnesota are developing a new polylactic acid (PLA) material to fit the material properties needed for this application. Their research is ongoing. Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) researchers tested commercial PLA in calorimeter and incubator studies and with a full-scale demonstration of the commercial composting Sustainable Generation Mobile System. The PLA did not completely degrade, and testing showed mixed results on finished compost quality. Recommendations included continued testing, experimenting with other bioplastics, and changing compost feedstock variables.

30 Jan 2025

Rapid Assessment Tools for Estimating Trafficability of Low Volume Roads

Abstract: Rapid assessment of low-volume road surfaces remains a challenge when attempting to forecast allowable vehicle crossings. Variations in soil type, compaction effort, and moisture content of the soil can greatly affect trafficability, and predictive equations for soil deformation under vehicle loads often have reduced reliability for low-strength materials. Portable tools to characterize soil stiffness and corresponding relationships to load-induced deformation are needed. In this effort, researchers performed comparative testing of multiple rapid assessment tools as potential devices for giving estimations of vehicle trafficability. The test devices included a Clegg hammer and light weight deflectometer as instruments that measure response from impulse loading. Silty sand with and without chemical stabilization (using cement) at varying moisture content were used for testing. These soil states represented very weak conditions capable of supporting fewer than 50 vehicle passes to moderate strength conditions capable of supporting several thousand vehicle passes. Data from full-scale tests were used to correlate allowable traffic with data obtained from the rapid assessment tools. Recommendations from the effort include ranges of response data to categorize low-volume road surfaces based on their ability to handle ranges of vehicle loadings.

30 Jan 2025

Improved Trafficability Over Soft Soils Using Ground Matting

Abstract: Soft soils pose mobility challenges, even for vehicles designed with superior off-road capabilities. When numerous vehicles travel the same path, permanent deformation of the soil can result in rut depths that exceed vehicle ground clearance. These challenges can be overcome by modifying ground conditions to improve bearing capacity or spreading wheel loads over a greater area. Researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center conducted field tests to quantify the performance benefits of a ground matting system made of connected fiberglass panels designed to improve vehicle mobility on soft soils. Soil conditions included silt, sand, and highly organic soil with varying strength. Test vehicles included wheeled trucks with gross weights of approximately 6350 kg per axle. Performance of the matting system was assessed by the number of allowable vehicle crossings with and without matting present. Results from testing showed that allowable number of vehicles increased by at least a factor of ten on the weakest soils. Data presented herein includes geotechnical site characterization, soil deformation as a function of traffic, and material characteristics for the fiberglass matting system.

28 Jan 2025

Montgomery Locks and Dam, Ohio River: Navigation Approach Physical Model

Abstract: A physical model study of the Montgomery Locks and Dam was conducted to optimize the navigation conditions for the new riverside lock and guard wall design developed by the Pittsburgh District. A 1:100 Froude scale physical model was built to evaluate the navigation conditions for tows entering and exiting the locks in the upstream and downstream approaches. Conditions tested were Existing Conditions, Deconstruction Sequences, Construction Sequences, and Proposed Design. Data were also collected for impact analysis on the upstream and downstream riverside guard walls. The final design consisted of an upstream ported guard wall that is 1,000 ft in length and a downstream solid guard wall that is 800 ft in length. The implementation of submerged dikes in the upstream and downstream approaches improve navigation conditions significantly and are an essential part of the final design. Details are shown in Section 3.5 of this report.

28 Jan 2025

“One Grand, Glorious National Cause”: A Cultural Geography of the Veterans Affairs Built Environment

Abstract: The United States government has a long history of providing medical, financial, and burial benefits to American Veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and its predecessor agencies constructed much of the built environment that served as a conduit for these benefits. Today, the VA manages and maintains more than 15,000 buildings and structures to serve the Veteran community. To facilitate the transfer of property rights of its vacant and underutilized properties and ensure compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation issued a Program Comment at the request of the VA on 26 October 2018. The Program Comment mitigation requires the VA to produce a readily accessible public-benefit document of interest to a wide audience composed of Veterans and lay people. This book provides that public-benefit document through a cultural geography of the built environment of VA facilities. This book focuses on the sense of place developed by Veterans toward VA facilities and covers three generational periods as defined by the VA: post–Civil War through World War I, World War I through the end of World War II, and post–World War II through 1958.

21 Jan 2025

Moffett Field Naval Chapel (Building 86) and Boiler House (Building 87): Historic Materials Maintenance Manual

Abstract: The Moffett Field Naval Chapel and boiler house are located on the Moffett Federal Airfield, Santa Clara, California. Constructed circa 1945, both buildings are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterion A for associations with the post–WWII Moffett Field expansion and under Criterion C as a representative example of Navy Bureau of Yards and Docks chapel construction and as a true representative example of the Spanish colonial revival style in the region. Their period of significance is 1945–1986, before major renovations were completed at the site. All buildings, especially historic ones, require regular planned maintenance and repair. The most notable cause of historic building element failure or decay is not the fact that the historic building is old, but rather it is caused by incorrect or inappropriate repair and basic neglect of the historic building fabric. This document is a maintenance manual compiled with as-is conditions of construction materials of the Moffett Field Naval Chapel. The Secretary of Interior Guidelines on rehabilitation and repair per material are discussed to provide a guide to maintain this historic building. This report satisfies Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 as amended and will help to manage this historic building.