10 Nov 2021

Joint Chilean and US Mobility Testing in Extreme Environments

Abstract: Vehicle mobility in cold and challenging terrains is of interest to both the US and Chilean Armies. Mobility in winter conditions is highly vehicle dependent with autonomous vehicles experiencing additional challenges over manned vehicles. They lack the ability to make informed decisions based on what they are “seeing” and instead need to rely on input from sensors on the vehicle, or from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or satellite data collections. This work focuses on onboard vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus sensors, driver input sensors, and some externally mounted sensors to assist with terrain identification and overall vehicle mobility. Analysis of winter vehicle/sensor data collected in collaboration with the Chilean Army in Lonquimay, Chile during July and August 2019 will be discussed in this report.

10 Nov 2021

Houston Ship Channel Expansion Improvement Project – Navigation Channel Improvement Study: Ship Simulation Results

Abstract: In 2020, the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, provided technical oversight during a navigation study to assist the Galveston District evaluation of different channel widening alternatives for larger ships transiting the Houston Ship Channel (HSC), Texas. The widening proposals encompassed several areas of the HSC including the Bay Section, the Bayport Ship Channel, Barbours Cut Channel, and the Bayou Section. The study was performed at the San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training Center (SJCMTTC) Ship/Tug Simulator (STS) Facility in La Porte, TX. The SJCMTTC STS is a real-time simulator; therefore, events on the simulator happen at the same time rate as real life. A variety of environmental forces act upon the ship during the simulation transit. These include currents, wind, waves, bathymetry, and ship-to-ship interaction. Online simulations of the project were conducted at SJCMTTC over a 3-week period – May through June 2020. Several mariners including Houston Pilots and G&H tugboat Captains participated in the testing and validation exercises. ERDC oversight was performed remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results in the form of engineering observations, track plots, and pilot interviews were reviewed to develop final conclusions and recommendations regarding the final design.

5 Nov 2021

Water Level Management for Enhanced Fish and Wildlife Habitat Production in Upper Mississippi River Navigation Pools: An Engineering with Nature® Review of Practice

Abstract: There is a long history of fish and wildlife management associated with Upper Mississippi River navigation dams owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Many operational changes have been made to improve aquatic habitat, with recent emphasis on pool-scale drawdowns to enhance wetland benefits without affecting navigation or other uses. This special report describes projects successfully incorporating Engineering With Nature® principles in a review of the physical setting and historical fish and wildlife habitat management efforts using Upper Mississippi River System navigation dams. We reviewed 80 years of adaptation and lessons learned about how to integrate navigation operations and wildlife management. Several experiments have revealed the capacity to produce thousands of hectares of emergent and submersed aquatic plants, restoring much-needed riparian habitat for a variety of aquatic, wetland, and avian species.