10 Jul 2026

Microsoft Azure Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Hackathon for Development of Retrieval-Augmented Generation Large Language Model

Abstract: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works (CW) research and development (R&D) mission is to address challenging environmental sustainability problems through innovative science and engineering, which helps to ensure a safer, more prosperous, and more resilient nation. To achieve this, the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) plans, executes, leads, and directs many R&D programs in coordination with USACE Headquarters, Districts, and Divisions through its multiple strategic focus areas, which include infrastructure, water modeling, crisis preparedness, ecosystem, sediment management, data, artificial intelligence, and robotics. In this process, much information is generated, including internal progress reviews, financial reports, scopes of work, work package planning, and success stories.

7 Jul 2026

FIMOFs: Fiber-Integrated Metal–Organic Frameworks through Electrospinning

Abstract: Green synthesis plays a crucial role in advancing sustainability within materials science. This study explores the integration of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), obtained through green synthesis, using an electrospinning post-processing technique to develop MOF-based composite materials. The resulting novel multifunctional composites demonstrate enhanced stability and functionality, compared to their control counterparts. The integration of four types of MOFs into an electrospun fiber network was investigated using a specific polymer solution. Characterization and preliminary adsorption studies were conducted to elucidate the chemistry, morphology, and adsorptive capabilities of the resulting MOF composites. Electrospinning MOFs into polymer fibers improved their stability and dye removal capabilities. More specifically, optimization of MOF-to-polymer ratios and processing conditions yielded composites that are thermally stable, with modified surface area and porosity. Post-processing MOFs resulted in a fiber diameter increase of 44 and 109%, enhancing the composites by providing more MOF active sites and improved mechanical strength. Zirconium-based post-processed MOFs demonstrated superior dye removal, different from the copper-based dyes. Electrospinning technology has demonstrated significant potential in the fabrication of high-performance multifunctional MOF composites. This has helped to create advanced sustainable composites with tailored properties, paving the way for more targeted and efficient applications. The applications of these composites show promise for military engineering where durable, light weight, and multifunctional materials are critical in contributing to improved performance, operational efficiency, and safety.

7 Jul 2026

GREAT v1.0: Global Real-time Early Assessment of Tsunamis

Abstract: We introduce a tsunami warning technology towards a global real-time analysis. The technology is based on the analysis of acoustic signals generated together with the tsunami, due to the compression of the water layer. The acoustic signals propagate much faster than the tsunami and thus can be recorded at hydrophone stations, which in turn enables the analysis in real time. The presented technology comprises a collection of models that have been integrated into a software with the goal to make it operational and to complement efforts by warning centres and provide a more reliable assessment, globally. The main models that were integrated into the software are presented and briefly discussed. Test cases performed by the software are compared with DART buoy observations, showing satisfactory agreement, though discrepancies arise in particular at far distances and locations separated by land. The calculation time of a full global-scale analysis is in the order of tens of seconds on a standard multi-core machine, without reliance on pre-computations, making it an appropriate real-time forecast.

7 Jul 2026

Engineer Research and Development Center Process Automation System (E-PAS) Database Checker

Abstract: The purpose of this document is to specify the software requirements, architecture, and design for the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Process Automation System (E-PAS) Database Checker, a tool that monitors the E-PAS database and provides notifications based on its size. This document is designed for the software engineers and developers maintaining Database Checker and is intended to aid them in understanding its architecture and underlying functionality.

7 Jul 2026

Technical Regional Execution Center No Effect Table (TREC NET)

Abstract: The purpose of this document is to specify the software requirements, architecture, and design for the Technical Regional Execution Center (TREC) No Effect Table (NET) macro suite, a collection of automated software routines and functions developed to manage and operate the NET. This document is designed for the software engineers and developers maintaining the macro suite and is intended to aid them in understanding its architecture and underlying functionality.

6 Jul 2026

Rapid Assessment of Airfield Pavements

Abstract: The US Navy identified pavement assessment shortfalls under its Facilities Shore Readiness (FSR) program. Two assessment needs were related to (1) rapidly assessing the condition of existing concrete structures such as roads, parking lots, and airfields of port facilities and (2) using nondestructive devices to determine pavement thickness. The project described in this report evaluated the efficacy of two technologies: WayLink Systems Corporation’s automated pavement condition surveys and the MIRA Shear Wave 3D Tomographer, which identify real-time pavement surface conditions and pavement thicknesses, respectively. These commercial off-the-shelf systems offer great potential value, especially when historical construction and maintenance data are unavailable. Test data for this project were collected on asphalt and concrete runways, taxiways, aprons, parking lots, and roads. The overall results indicated that automated pavement surveys are not currently ready for full implementation on airfield pavements. The MIRA tomographer had success in estimating pavement thickness and is recommended for implementation in pavement evaluations.

1 Jul 2026

Development of High-Performance Cold Mix Asphalt for Asphalt Patching

Abstract: Cold mix asphalt (CMA) is commonly used to perform small asphalt patching repairs. It is readily available even when hot mix asphalt (HMA) is not due to distance from a plant or cold weather; it is convenient and can be kept on hand; and it can be used at ambient temperatures. Unfortunately, these advantages are generally offset by marginal performance, especially under heavy loads and at quick return-to-traffic times. For military airfields in particular, both logistical factors and adequate performance are critically important; typical CMAs cannot deliver both, and HMA is not always readily available. Consequently, the objective of this project was to develop a new high-performance CMA that combines convenience and logistical advantages of conventional CMA with the performance expected from HMA. This objective was met using an asphalt-modified polyurethane binder to design cold mix that far outperforms conventional CMA and rivals (exceeds, in some cases) HMA performance, based on both laboratory and full-scale field testing. This two-part material can be field mixed without special mixing equipment; once cured, it is highly elastic, exhibits little temperature sensitivity, and can withstand up to 300 passes of F-15E aircraft traffic with a 3 hr return-to-traffic time (1 in. rutting threshold).

29 Jun 2026

Evaluation of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) Response to Herbicides Using Unmanned Aerial System Imagery

Abstract: Water hyacinth is a highly invasive aquatic species in the southern United States that requires intensive management through frequent herbicide applications. Quantifying management success in large-scale operations is challenging with traditional survey methods that rely on boat-based teams and can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. In contrast, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) allows a single operator to survey a waterbody more efficiently and rapidly, enhancing both coverage and data collection. Therefore, the objective of this research was to develop remote sensing techniques to assess herbicide efficacy for water hyacinth control in an outdoor mesocosm study. Experiments were conducted in spring and summer 2023 to compare and correlate data from visual evaluations of herbicide efficacy against nine vegetation indices (VIs) derived from UAS-based red-green-blue imagery. Penoxsulam, carfentrazone, diquat, 2,4-D, florpyrauxifen-benzyl, and glyphosate were applied at two rates, and experimental units were evaluated for 6 wk. The carotenoid reflectance index (CRI) had the highest Spearman’s correlation coefficient with visually evaluated efficacy for 2,4-D, diquat, and florpyrauxifen benzyl (> −0.77). The visible atmospherically resistance index (VARI) had the highest correlation with carfentrazone and penoxsulam treatments (> −0.70), and the excess greenness minus redness index had the highest correlation for glyphosate treatments (> −0.83). CRI had the highest correlation coefficient with the most herbicide treatments, and it was the only VI tested that did not include the red band. These VIs were satisfactory predictors of mid-range visually evaluated herbicide efficacy values but were poorly correlated with extremely low and high values, corresponding to nontreated and necrotic plants. Future research should focus on applying findings to real-world (nonexperimental) field conditions and testing imagery with spectral bands beyond the visible range.

29 Jun 2026

Automated Workflows for Airborne Lidar and Photogrammetry Snow Depth Analyses

Abstract: Lidar and photogrammetry techniques provide highly accurate methods for mapping snow depth distribution. However, postprocessing point clouds for snow depth estimation is more complex compared to other earth science applications. This paper presents ice-road-copters (IRC), an open-source Python toolkit that facilitates processing and georeferencing of lidar and photogrammetry point clouds. Case studies demonstrate the tool’s utility across different sensors and platforms over a complex mountainous study area. Results show that a well-configured digital elevation model (DEM) filter effectively removes most noise and outliers from point cloud data. The Simple Morphological Filter (SMRF) generally perform well for ground segmentation but optimal results across diverse terrains may require site-specific tuning, particularly of the elevation threshold and scalar parameters in more complex landscapes. Different methods, including manual depth measurements or snow-free features, can be used to coregister DEMs, reducing vertical errors, eliminating large bias and achieving comparable accuracy to using exposed control surfaces. Derived snow depth rasters showed strong agreement with in situ probe measurements—root-mean-square error (RMSE) of less than 16 cm. Overall, IRC simplifies the transformation of raw point clouds into high-resolution DEMs and value-added snow products, facilitating efficient multitemporal analysis to support military and hydrology applications.

26 Jun 2026

Evaluation of Elevated Band Height for Basal Bark Triclopyr Applications to Schinus terebinthifolia

Abstract: Basal bark application involves applying an oil-soluble herbicide in an oil carrier to the lower 0 to 45 cm of woody stems. For triclopyr, basal bark application typically requires the butoxyethyl ester formulation; however, this cannot be applied when standing water is present, which is common in seasonally flooded wetlands. Recently, the intermediate oil and water-soluble triclopyr acid formulation was registered for use in aquatic sites, allowing for basal bark applications in wetlands where standing water is present. Recent studies indicated that flooding after basal bark treatment can result in triclopyr release to surface waters and subsequent non-target injury. Elevated band application height (i.e., treating a higher band on each stem) may reduce non-target injury potential; however, this modified application technique has not been well tested on woody invasive species. To evaluate this approach, a field study on Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi) was conducted near Melbourne and Wimauma, FL, on well-established and juvenile rootstocks. Treatments included triclopyr acid at 17, 34, and 69 g L−1 applied in an oil carrier and treatment band heights of 0 to 45 cm and 61 to 107 cm from the groundline. At Melbourne, both band heights treated with 34 or 69 g L−1 resulted in 75% to 100% mortality of mature rootstocks. However, triclopyr applied at 17 g L−1 to the low and elevated band heights resulted in 70% and 11% mortality, respectively. All treatments resulted in 90% to 100% mortality at Wimauma, where the rootstocks were juvenile and much smaller. These findings indicate elevated band heights may be a useful approach for woody plant control and may support an effective management strategy in inundated wetlands that provides better prevention of non-target injury.