N102-109 TITLE: Expeditionary Matting/Soil Stabilization System (EMS3)

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PM ES, ACAT IV

OBJECTIVE: Develop a lightweight, durable, rapidly deployable, and low cost matting/soil stabilization system that will enable wheeled military traffic to traverse loose sand and soft soil.

DESCRIPTION: Mobility matting systems have been used by commercial industry and military forces for decades, providing support for vehicles, personnel and equipment when the ground alone is insufficient. All new Tactical Wheeled Vehicles are now armored which has significantly increased their weight and ground pressure. The Marine Corps requires an EMS3 that can enable passage across soft terrain features and improve vehicle mobility. A lightweight matting system is needed that can be rapidly deployed to improve force projection within the operating environment. Current matting/soil stabilization systems: lack the strength to support the loads imposed by military equipment, fail to meet the required rates of deployment and exceed weight/volume limitations.

PHASE I: The contractor shall prepare and present at least three design concepts to the government for systems that will support the heaviest Marine Corps wheeled vehicles. The pros and cons of each concept shall be identified to include: estimated weight, rate of deployment and cost. The contractor shall complete the design and produce a sample of at least one concept selected by the government.

PHASE II: The contractor shall take the design concept(s) approved in Phase I and complete a manufacturing plan that demonstrates the product(s) can be economically produced. The contractor shall produce enough of the product to cover a 160 linear feet, 12 feet wide, of each concept selected in phase I for government testing. The contractor shall observe the tests and provide recommendations for design changes that may improve performance. The contractor shall produce an additional quantity, with design changes, to cover 160 linear feet of at lease one product for follow on government testing.

PHASE III: The contractor shall prepare a marketing plan and refine the manufacturing plan to sell his product to the government as well as the private sector. The contractor will make any necessary teaming arrangements with other product manufacturers/suppliers to produce the matting/soil stabilization system in bulk.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: EMS3 can be used for disaster relief operations, emergency rescue services, temporary construction access and temporary parking lots.

REFERENCES:
1. US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Expedient Road Construction Over Soft Soils ERDC/GSL TR-01-7

2. US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Evaluation of Expeditionary mat Surfacings for Beach Roads ERDC/GSL TR-07-1

3. http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/JanFeb02/MS698.htm

KEYWORDS: Expeditionary Roads, enhanced mobility, matting systems, logistics-over-the-shore, beach crossing, temporary road.

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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