The U.S. Army is taking a significant step forward in cold-weather operations with the initial rollout and testing of a groundbreaking new capability designed to optimize routes for vehicles traveling in challenging winter terrain.
Developed by ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), the Winter Route Planning (WRP) algorithm promises to dramatically reduce the risk of vehicle immobilization and increase overall efficiency when routing soldiers to desired target locations.
The WRP algorithm isn’t just about finding the shortest distance between two points. It intelligently analyzes a complex array of factors – including detailed terrain data, current snowpack conditions, and the specific...
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) is working to enhance energy resilience by integrating hydrogen as a sustainable energy source. Their efforts focus on developing hydrogen energy solutions to support military operations, aiming to improve energy independence at Department of Defense (DoD) installations. A key demonstration was the hydrogen-powered fuel cell...
The U.S. Army is taking a giant leap into the future of military construction with the debut of its first-ever additively constructed (3D-printed) Army barracks in Fort Bliss, Texas, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) played an important role in making the demonstration successful.
VICKSBURG, Miss. – In an effort to enhance acquisition programs for all branches of the U.S. military, a team of engineers and technical experts from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) have developed a cloud-based digital engineering environment that includes specific hardware, a variety of design tools and access to high-performance computing.
This technology was put to use when the ERDC’s Information...
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) took a significant step in transforming contingency construction. In November 2024, researchers conducted a seismic test on an eco-conscious mass timber shelter that highlights the future of relocatable Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) structures. This test assessed the performance and safety of the first prototype of a CLT shelter made from thermally modified coastal western hemlock.
