Physics-Based, High Resolution Soil Strength Prediction

Effective Army-scale mobility predictions in austere environments require knowledge of soil strength conditions at high spatial resolution (100 m or less). Knowledge of the battlespace is greatly hindered because available weather-scale near-surface soil moisture data, a primary indicator of soil strength, is limited by its coarse spatial resolution (125 km). Moreover, there are no adequate methods for updating weather-scale soil moisture data with sparse, in situ field measurements. Creare is addressing this critical Army need by defining, developing, and evaluating innovative physics-based downscaling and upscaling algorithms for soil moisture and soil strength prediction embedded in a modular, open standards software framework. The physics-based model predictions are being validated through comparison to in situ soil moisture measurements from domestic and foreign sites. The resulting algorithms will provide accurate estimates of near-surface soil moisture and soil strength by integrating information from disparate data sources, including low resolution weather-scale predictions; localized, sparse point measurements; and other available data that correlate with soil moisture such as topography, elevation, slope, vegetation, and soil type. Creares algorithms are embedded within an OGC-compliant software framework, enabling integration into existing and future GIS-based applications for Army mobility planning, enhanced situational awareness, and tactical decision making.