2 Jul 2025

Remote Detection of Soil Shear Strength in Arctic and Subarctic Environments

Abstract: Soil shear strength affects many military activities and is affected significantly by plant roots. Unfortunately, root contribution to soil shear strength is difficult to measure and predict. In the boreal forest ecosystem, soil and hydrologic dynamics make soil shear strength less predictable, while the need for prediction grows due to the rapid changes occurring in this environment. Our current study objectives are to (1) observe possible aboveground vegetation indicators of soil shear strength variation across soils and other environmental heterogeneity, (2) observe possible image-based indicators of soil shear strength variation, and (3) identify the best remote-sensing data source for predicting soil shear strength variation. A total of 65 sites were sampled from a diversity of soil and vegetation types across interior Alaska and Ontario, Canada. Ground-collected data were analyzed to develop a predictive model, while a similar approach was undertaken with Sentinel-2 imagery. Results indicate that both ground-collected data and satellite imagery can reasonably predict boreal forest soil shear strength, with satellite imagery providing the higher predictive ability. A comparison of 10 m Sentinel-2 and submeter Maxar imagery indicated that Sentinel-2 provides a better prediction of soil shear strength.

1 Jul 2025

Bruce Goff and the Camp Parks Entrance Sign: Bruce Goff’s Life, Achievements, Design Philosophy, and Military Contributions at Camp Parks, California

The Camp Parks entrance sign in Camp Parks, California was recommended eligible by the Army for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1998 under Criterion C and the California Office of Historic Preservation concurred with that decision in 1999. Designed by renowned architect Bruce Goff while stationed by the Navy at Camp Parks, the sign holds a significant value in the architectural industry, although the sign is no longer used for its initial purpose. All structures, especially historic ones, require regular planned maintenance and repair. The most notable cause of historic structure element failure or decay is not the fact that the historic structure is old, but rather, it is caused by incorrect or inappropriate repair or basic neglect of the historic building fabric. This document is a report detailing historic information regarding Camp Parks, the life and success of Goff, as well as the 3D scanning, and the subsequent relocation of the Camp Parks entrance sign. This report satisfies Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 as amended and will aid in management of the sign by personnel at Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Parks.

11 Jun 2025

Chemo-Electrochemical Evolution of Cathode–Solid Electrolyte Interface in All-Solid-State Batteries

Abstract: The stability of the interface between the cathode and the solid electrolyte (SE) has been found to be a key determinant of solid-state battery (SSB) performance. While interfacial failure from electro-chemical cycling has been studied, temperature effects on the chemical and electrochemical evolution of interface properties are not well-understood. We utilize a dense additive-free LiCoO2 cathode, which provides controlled morphology and crystallography, and well-known high voltage halide SEs (Li₃InCl₆ and Li₃YCl₆) to eliminate the need for cathode coating to explore the nature of interface deterioration induced by operating at up to 100 °C. By promoting temperature-induced accelerated interfacial failure, we show that at elevated temperatures (>60 °C) and higher states of charge, a significant chemo-electrochemical contribution to interfacial resistance results in rapid cell performance degradation. Our findings show that beyond the well sought-after SE electrochemical voltage stability, the atomic-scale restructuring of the cathode surface interfaced with the SE must be considered when designing stable interfaces.

11 Jun 2025

A Bellwether for Microplastic in Wetland Catchments in the Great Lakes Region

Abstract: This study is intended as a bellwether for the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in Great Lakes wetlands. In 2020, sediment, surface water, and atmospheric deposition samples were collected from wetland catchments in or near five National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in the Great Lakes region: Horicon-WI, Seney-MI, Shiawassee-MI, Ottawa- OH, and Montezuma-NY. Sediment and surface water samples were taken from river, stream, and canal inflows and outflows to and from wetland areas. Atmospheric deposition samples were collected in carboys placed near established rain gauges. These sample sites were chosen as indicators of MP deposition into and out of the region’s wetland systems. MPs were extracted from each sample, enumerated, and categorized by particle morphology and polymer type. Average MP particle abundances in the sediment and surface water samples ranged from 344 to 538 particles kg⁻¹ (dry weight) and 2–68 particles m⁻³, respectively. Atmospheric MP deposition ranged from 5.8 to 22.6 particles m⁻² d⁻¹. Fibers were the most abundant MP particle type found in each sample type (sediment, surface water, and atmospheric deposition), followed by fragments. These results suggest that input and retention of MPs are pervasive in the Great Lakes region and surrounding wetland areas.

14 May 2025

Autonomous Robotics Development in Robot Operating System (ROS) 2 Humble

Abstract: This report presents a novel Robot Operating System (ROS) 2–based simulation framework designed to facilitate the development and testing of an autonomous navigation stack. Elements of the navigation stack, including lidar odometry, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), and frontier exploration, are discussed in detail. The key features of the navigation stack include real-time performance and scalable architecture. The simulation results were applied to a physical robot. As a result, the physical robot was able to autonomously map the interior of a building and to generate 2D occupancy and 3D point clouds of the environment.

14 May 2025

Robot Operating System Innovations in Autonomous Navigation

Abstract: This report presents the results of simulations conducted in preparation for the 2024 Maneuver Support and Protection Integration Experiments (MSPIX) demonstration. The study aimed to develop and test a system for autonomous navigation in complex environments using advanced algorithms to enable the robot to avoid obstacles and navigate safely and efficiently. The report describes the methodology used to develop and test the autonomous navigation system, including the use of simulation, to evaluate its performance. The results of the simulation tests are presented to highlight the effectiveness of the navigation solution.

9 May 2025

Headstone Inventory and Scanning at Mare Island Naval Cemetery, California

Abstract: The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) tasked the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Re-search Laboratory (ERDC-CERL), with inventorying and scanning the nonmilitary headstones at Mare Island Naval Cemetery. The cemetery is located in Vallejo, California, and is part of the Mare Island Naval Ship-yard historic district, which was listed concurrently on the National Register of Historic Places and as a national historic landmark in 1975. The research in this report will assist the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), NCA, with compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). This report contains a list of headstones that need to be repaired or re-placed and a list of headstones that need to be corrected due to errors. Separate from this report, NCA will be provided with 3D models in .obj (for computer numerical control [CNC]) or .stl (for 3D printing) format. These formats are industry-standard CNC fabrication methods used to cut new stones. This technology will preserve the artistic elements of the stones that would be lost in an AutoCAD rendering process.

9 May 2025

Mill Springs Mill, Kentucky: A History and Analysis

Abstract: The US Congress codified the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, the nation’s most effective cultural resources legislation to date, mostly through establishing the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The NHPA requires federal agencies to address their cultural re-sources, which are defined as any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object. Section 110 of the NHPA requires federal agencies to inventory and evaluate their cultural resources, and Section 106 requires them to determine the effect of federal undertakings on those eligible or potentially eligible for the NRHP or listed on the NRHP. The Mill Springs Mill is found in south-central Kentucky, within Wayne County, a county bordering Tennessee. The mill, spring pools, granary, and recreation area are owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The site has run as a grist mill ever since its construction in the 1800s but has also been given other purposes, such as a roadside park starting in 1949 until the late 1970s and then a USACE recreation area. The mill is listed on the NRHP, while the grounds are part of the Mill Springs Battlefield, which is on the NRHP and also a national historic landmark. This report provides a comprehensive historic context for the features and buildings at the Mill Springs Mill in support of Section 110 of the NHPA.

2 Apr 2025

VTIME Using ERDC as a Testbed with PLANNER

Abstract: This technical note documents the outcome of a September 2023 workshop titled “VTIME using ERDC as a Testbed with PLANNER.” PLANNER exists as a prototype installation master planning tool, operating as an application using the Virtual Toolbox for Installation Mission Effectiveness (VTIME) as a platform. The objectives of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) FLEX-4 project for VTIME using “ERDC as a Testbed” with PLANNER included modeling and analyzing ERDC facilities using the PLANNER prototype and assessing the feasibility of ERDC as a pilot site for inclusion PLANNER implementation. The workshop aimed to demonstrate PLANNER for ERDC personnel and showcase a new installation planning capability that intends to transform the way the Army performs installation master planning by digitalizing and operationalizing master planning.

31 Mar 2025

Effects of Thermal Modification on the Flexure Properties, Fracture Energy, and Hardness of Western Hemlock

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of thermal modification on the flexural properties, transverse fracture energy, and hardness of western hemlock. Flexure tests on specimens featuring longitudinal and transverse grains showed that thermal modification at 167 °C leads to less statistical variability compared to unmodified samples. Additionally, thermal modification leads to a decrease in the transverse flexural strength. On the other hand, the fracture and Janka hardness tests revealed a more pronounced brittleness of the thermally modified samples. The total mode I fracture energy of modified single-edge notch bending samples was about 47% lower for radial–longitudinal systems and 60% lower for tangential–longitudinal systems. Similarly, the average Janka hardness in the tangential and transverse planes was 8.5% and 9.4% lower in the modified specimens, respectively. The results presented in this work show that thermal modification can have a significant effect on the fracturing behavior of west-ern hemlock and its energy dissipation capabilities. For design, this must be taken into serious consideration as these properties significantly influence the damage tolerance of this wood in the presence of stress concentrations such as those induced in bolted joints and cut outs. Fracture energy and hardness are also strongly correlated to ballistic performance.