Power of ERDC

• #32: Muddy: A mapping robot for extreme environments

  A low-cost unmanned ground vehicle capable of producing 3D maps, the Muddy robot has solved a variety of mapping challenges since 2017. Developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Muddy is often used to test more expansive robotic platforms and to enable other projects. Its combination of autonomous navigation, affordability and flexibility makes it an ideal system to validate new technologies and to operate in dangerous, extreme or difficult to access environments – giving Warfighters superior situational awareness of the battlespace and a platform that can support missions across any domain. We discuss Muddy with Dr. Garry Glaspell, a research chemist at ERDC’s Geospatial Research Laboratory who has worked with the robot since its first days. We talk about Muddy’s creation and maturation (4:06), its capabilities (12:42) and the programs it has supported (15:04). We also discuss how Muddy got its name (24:52), the lessons learned from various field tests (33:14) and what modifications are on the wish list (36:29). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.

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• #31: Wellbot: An innovative system to maintain relief wells

  The nation’s levees and dams depend upon relief wells to alleviate underground pressure when water levels are high. However, microorganisms and natural chemicals in the water gradually leave a residue that clogs the wells’ porous screen walls, reducing their practical value and increasing the risk of dam or levee failure. Existing maintenance methods are costly, dangerous and labor intensive. To improve this process, ERDC has developed an autonomous system that can clean relief wells in a safer and more cost-effective manner. Wellbot uses ultraviolet light and an oscillating wire brush to remove biofilm and chemical scale from the well screen. Costing about $5,000, the reusable system can be programmed to treat a relief well in days and then deployed to treat another. We discuss Wellbot with Taylor Rycroft, a research environmental engineer at ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory. We talk about relief wells (2:51), the current challenges of maintaining them (6:57), and what led to the development of Wellbot (18:48). We also discuss Wellbot’s capabilities (10:30), the collaborative effort that launched it (19:49) and other ways this technology can be applied (26:43). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.

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• #30: Oil on Ice: Improving spill response in frigid regions

  The environmental and economic toll of large-scale oil spills, such as the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon incidents, can linger for decades. That’s why research into better techniques and technologies for rapidly responding to these disasters is critical. One aspect of oil spill response that requires particular attention is the effect of ice and frigid temperatures, which can change oil properties and make the substance more difficult to locate or extract. Through the world-class expertise and facilities at its Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), ERDC has developed a unique capability to enable in-depth research into mitigating oil spills on ice. As ERDC collaborates with partners to find these innovative solutions, first responders will be better equipped to have the greatest impact should a disaster occur. We discuss ERDC’s oil-on-ice research with Kate Trubac, a research general engineer at CRREL. We talk with Kate about the challenges of oil spill cleanup (3:34), how icy conditions make it even more difficult (4:26), and why it is important to study this topic (6:27). We also discuss ERDC’s role in this research (9:30, 10:52), how it supports a variety of strategies (18:01), its collaboration with partners (9:49), and what the future holds (35:12). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.

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• #29: Underkeel Clearance: Quantifying demand for USACE dredging

  The ships calling upon U.S. ports have grown larger, and navigation channels must be dredged to greater depths to handle them. However, dredging is expensive, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) needs more data-driven tools to prioritize limited resources more efficiently.Responding to this need, ERDC developed Underkeel Clearance. Applying newly available ship location data and combining it with other data points, this metric directly measures how often ship keels approach the bottom of a channel. By analyzing how ships are using the dredging USACE already provides and highlighting the areas with the highest volume of ships with limited clearance, Underkeel Clearance gives USACE waterway managers new insight to better quantify channel maintenance requirements. The project falls under the USACE Coastal Inlets Research Program.We discuss Underkeel Clearance with Dr. David Young and Dr. Brandan Scully, research civil engineers at ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory.Topics include how dredging decisions have traditionally been made (3:07), how Underkeel Clearance can improve this methodology (5:33) and surprises that have emerged as researchers began analyzing Underkeel Clearance data (14:46). We also talk about how this tool could change USACE dredging operations (17:23), other use cases of this data (21:32) and what the future holds for the effort (33:47).For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.

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• #28: Advanced manufacturing: Using 3D printing, new materials and optimized designs to produce large-scale components

  As America’s civil works infrastructure facilities age beyond their initial design lives, so do the thousands of individual components that keep them functioning. These original components were often fabricated using vintage material and manufacturing methods, making them costly, burdensome and time-consuming to replicate. However, if one of these parts were to suddenly break, that failure could shut down a facility for months, causing significant national economic damage.  Faced with this challenge, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is studying how innovative techniques, such as additive manufacturing (large-scale 3D printing), advanced materials and design optimization can be used to replace vintage infrastructure components faster and at a lower cost while maintaining, and even improving, their properties. This research resulted in a recent collaboration with the USACE Detroit District and Lincoln Electric to manufacture the largest U.S. civil works infrastructure component produced by a 3D printer – a 12-foot-long, 6,000-pound metal part for the ship arrestor system on the Poe Lock, one of two active locks on the Soo Locks facility. We discuss ERDC’s advanced manufacturing research with Dr. Robert Moser and Dr. Zack McClelland from ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory. Moser is a Senior Scientific Technical Manager for Materials, Manufacturing and Structures, and McClelland is a research mechanical engineer. We talk about the existing state of aging infrastructure and the role additive manufacturing can play to meet this challenge (3:49), how ERDC became involved in 3D printing and how that capability has evolved (7:09), ERDC’s focus areas for advanced manufacturing R&D (11:36), and the project to manufacture the largest U.S. civil works infrastructure component produced by a 3D printer (18:40). We also discuss how ERDC is working to overcome some of the challenges of 3D-printing large infrastructure components (25:27), how ERDC’s high-performance computing capability boosts this effort (28:49), how it has benefitted from military research (39:02) and what the future holds (49:11). For more information on the Power of ERDC podcast, visit https://www.PowerofERDCPodcast.org.

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