Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0038
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement to support research on how to reduce the risk of levee and floodwall failures caused by overtopping. The focus is on understanding why overtopping sometimes leads to breach in common U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) embankment and floodwall designs, and on developing and testing practical mitigation measures that can be applied to flood risk management infrastructure. The work is positioned as applied research and development, aimed at producing usable data, improved predictive tools, and design recommendations that can strengthen real-world performance during extreme high-water events.
A major part of the effort is investigative and diagnostic. The selected partner is expected to assess the factors that contribute to overtopping breach and identify the key failure mechanisms across different levee and floodwall types found in the USACE inventory. This includes reviewing how performance is currently predicted using numerical modeling, identifying gaps or limitations in those models, and evaluating how well current methods represent breach processes under overtopping conditions. ERDC also anticipates the collection and organization of overtopping case histories, meaning documented real events that can be used to benchmark and validate analytical and numerical approaches, and to better connect modeling assumptions with observed outcomes.
Another core component is a comprehensive look at mitigation strategies currently used in practice. The project is expected to document and compare the present state of practice for preventing or reducing overtopping-induced breach for levees and floodwalls, including both USACE approaches and relevant international methods. Beyond cataloging established practices, the work should also scan for emerging technologies that could be adapted or matured for this purpose, with the intent of identifying promising concepts that may not yet be common in standard flood control designs but could offer measurable improvements in resilience.
The opportunity also emphasizes experimentation, both in the lab and through physical testing. On the laboratory side, the research should examine ways to improve embankment and floodwall foundation soil performance during overtopping, including investigating soil behavior under saturated and unsaturated conditions where appropriate. This points to studying erosion resistance, strength and stiffness changes, seepage effects, and other soil mechanics considerations that influence how quickly a structure degrades when overtopped. On the physical testing side, ERDC expects tests that directly assess and compare different mitigation strategies under overtopping conditions, with the goal of generating quantifiable, design-relevant results. The outputs should include defensible design recommendations and datasets suitable for validating numerical models, helping close the loop between theory, simulation, and observed physical performance.
A final technical thrust is improving predictive modeling itself. The project is expected to investigate and develop numerical methodologies that increase the reliability of levee and floodwall performance predictions during overtopping. This includes identifying advanced modeling approaches, clarifying the situations where they provide meaningful improvements over standard methods, and explicitly characterizing uncertainty in both standard and advanced approaches. In practical terms, ERDC is looking for better tools to support risk-informed decisions, clearer understanding of model limits, and more credible prediction of breach initiation and progression under overtopping loads.
Administratively, this is a single anticipated award with an award ceiling of $400,000, and it is run under Funding Opportunity Number W81EWF 24 SOI 0038. The original closing date is listed as 2024-08-27. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA number is 12.630. Eligibility is restricted: only non-federal partners of the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) may apply, so applicants must confirm they are part of that eligible partner network. The notice also highlights compliance expectations related to disclosures of current and pending support; incomplete or problematic disclosures can make an applicant ineligible, and ERDC may request updates before award and throughout the performance period, with the possibility of funding discontinuation if issues arise. It also states that religious organizations may compete on the same basis as secular organizations for federal financial assistance, consistent with Executive Order 13798.Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0038
- The Engineer Research and Development Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Investigation Into Overtopping Mitigation Strategies" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-27. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity about?
This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) to support applied research and development on reducing levee and floodwall failures caused by overtopping. The work is focused on understanding why overtopping sometimes leads to breach in common U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) designs and on developing and testing practical mitigation measures for flood risk management infrastructure.
Who is offering the award?
The award is offered by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC).
What type of award is expected?
ERDC anticipates making a single discretionary cooperative agreement.
How many awards are expected?
The notice indicates a single anticipated award.
What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $400,000.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is W81EWF 24 SOI 0038.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date is listed as 2024-08-27.
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 12.630.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is restricted to non-federal partners of the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). Applicants are expected to confirm they are part of that eligible partner network.
Are federal entities eligible to apply?
No. The eligibility statement specifies non-federal partners of the Gulf Coast CESU.
Can religious organizations apply?
Yes. The notice states that religious organizations may compete on the same basis as secular organizations for federal financial assistance, consistent with Executive Order 13798.
What is the main technical problem being addressed?
The primary problem is levee and floodwall failure (including breach) triggered by overtopping during extreme high-water events, with an emphasis on understanding failure mechanisms and reducing overtopping-induced breach risk.
What kinds of infrastructure are in scope?
The scope includes levees and floodwalls, particularly types found within the USACE inventory and common USACE embankment and floodwall designs.
What are the main goals of the research?
The stated goals include producing usable data, improved predictive tools, and design recommendations that strengthen real-world performance of flood risk management infrastructure during overtopping conditions.
Is this basic research or applied research?
The work is positioned as applied research and development intended to generate practical, design-relevant outputs.
What investigative work is expected regarding overtopping breach?
The selected partner is expected to assess factors contributing to overtopping breach, identify key failure mechanisms across different levee and floodwall types, review how performance is currently predicted using numerical modeling, and identify gaps or limitations in those models.
Is the project expected to address breach initiation and breach progression?
Yes. The notice emphasizes improving prediction of breach initiation and progression under overtopping loads.
What does ERDC expect related to numerical modeling?
ERDC expects a review of current numerical modeling approaches used to predict performance, an evaluation of how well those methods represent overtopping breach processes, and the development of numerical methodologies that improve reliability and clarify uncertainty.
What are "overtopping case histories" in this context?
The opportunity anticipates collection and organization of documented real-world overtopping events (case histories) that can be used to benchmark and validate analytical and numerical approaches and to connect modeling assumptions with observed outcomes.
What is expected regarding mitigation strategies already used in practice?
The project is expected to document and compare the present state of practice for preventing or reducing overtopping-induced breach for levees and floodwalls, including USACE approaches and relevant international methods.
Does the scope include emerging technologies?
Yes. The work should scan for emerging technologies that could be adapted or matured to reduce overtopping-induced breach risk and identify promising concepts that could improve resilience even if they are not yet standard in flood control design.
What types of experimental work are anticipated?
The opportunity emphasizes both laboratory research and physical testing under overtopping conditions. This includes examining ways to improve embankment and floodwall foundation soil performance and conducting tests that directly assess and compare mitigation strategies.
What soil and foundation topics are specifically mentioned?
The notice highlights studying soil behavior during overtopping, including saturated and unsaturated conditions where appropriate, and considering erosion resistance, strength and stiffness changes, seepage effects, and other soil mechanics factors that influence degradation during overtopping.
What is the purpose of physical testing in this project?
Physical testing is expected to assess and compare mitigation strategies under overtopping conditions and generate quantifiable, design-relevant results.
What kinds of deliverables or outputs does ERDC want from this work?
Outputs described in the notice include usable datasets (including data suitable for validating numerical models), improved predictive tools or methodologies, and defensible design recommendations to strengthen levee and floodwall performance during overtopping.
How does uncertainty factor into the modeling work?
The project is expected to explicitly characterize uncertainty in both standard and advanced modeling approaches, supporting more credible risk-informed decisions and clearer understanding of model limits.
What is meant by "cooperative agreement" in this notice?
The notice identifies the instrument as a cooperative agreement. (The provided information does not further define the level of involvement, but the instrument type is explicitly stated.)
What compliance requirements are called out for applicants?
The notice highlights compliance expectations related to disclosures of current and pending support. Incomplete or problematic disclosures can make an applicant ineligible, and ERDC may request updates before award and throughout the performance period.
What happens if there are issues with current and pending support disclosures?
According to the notice, incomplete or problematic disclosures can lead to ineligibility, ERDC may request updates before and during the performance period, and funding may be discontinued if issues arise.
Does ERDC require updates after an award is made?
Yes. The notice states ERDC may request updates before award and throughout the performance period.
What is the overall intended impact of the project?
The intended impact is to improve resilience of flood risk management infrastructure during extreme high-water events by better understanding overtopping-related failure mechanisms, improving mitigation measures, and strengthening predictive modeling and design recommendations.
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