Innovative Materials in Water Resources Infrastructure. Opportunities for the Corps of Engineers - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine;Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences;Transportation Research Board;Consensus and Advisory Studies Division;Marine Board;Committee on Furthering the Development and Beneficial Use of Innova

Dams, locks, and levees are critical to U.S. navigation, safety, and commerce—but many are reaching the end of or have surpassed their design lives. In response to a congressional request through the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examined how innovative materials could help the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) maintain, repair, and modernize this vital infrastructure.



Commissioned by USACE's Engineer Research and Development Center, TRB Special Report 359: Innovative Materials in Water Resources Infrastructure: Opportunities for the Corps of Engineers explores the potential of fiber-reinforced polymers, high- and ultra-high-performance concretes, and 3D-printed materials to improve strength, resilience, and cost-effectiveness. The report identifies barriers to innovation and offers practical strategies for testing, demonstrating, and scaling up new materials as well as preparing the workforce to apply them.