NSF TTP-T: Transforming Levee Monitoring and Risk Assessment by Translating Hybrid Digital Twin Innovation into Practice

NSF Award Search · 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $1,149,014 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

This project is funded through the NSF Translation to Practice (TTP) program, which supports efforts to translate research discoveries into practical tools that benefit communities, industry, and society. For the TTP program, teams advance research results toward real-world deployment and adoption. Flooding is one of the most costly and dangerous natural hazards in the United States. Levees play a critical role in protecting more than 23 million people, millions of acres of farmland, and trillions of dollars in property from dangerous floods. However, many levees are aging, were not originally designed for today’s demands, and are monitored using outdated methods that rely on infrequent inspections and limited data. This research team develops a new, smarter way to monitor and manage levees using a “digital twin” which is a simulation of anticipated levee function that continuously updates using real-world data about levee performance. Combining advanced modeling with real-time information enables earlier detection of flood risks, better maintenance decisions, and improved emergency preparedness. The researchers partner with federal agencies, local levee districts, and industry partners to ensure the tools are practical, affordable, and ready for use. Ultimately, this project helps reduce flood risk, protect communities and infrastructure, and ensure taxpayer investments in flood protection systems are effective. This is the first levee-specific hybrid digital twin framework that integrates physics-based models with data-driven machine learning to provide probabilistic, near real-time predictions of levee performance. The researchers develop multi-scale models that simulate key failure mechanisms such as seepage, slope instability, and overtopping at both structural and regional levels. A central innovation is the integration of these models with monitoring data through recursive updating and machine learning–based error correction, improving predictive accuracy

Key facts

NSF award ID
2552816
Awardee
Tufts University (MA)
SAM.gov UEI
WL9FLBRVPJJ7
PI
Farshid Vahedifard
Primary program
01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Estimated total
$1,149,014
Funds obligated
$1,149,014
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
06/01/2026 → 05/31/2029