Mabey’s DURA-BASE® temporary roadway mats provide a stable surface on the most unstable grounds. But, as New Jersey-based Midlantic Construction LLC recently found out, they are also strong enough to stand-up to the heaviest loads. The contractor was tasked by the United States Air Force with transporting a 110,000 lb., KC-135 aircraft from its holding area at McGuire Air Force Base just outside of Trenton, NJ to display grounds elsewhere on the property.
Traversing the base meant guiding the giant plane across grounds that were not meant to accommodate vehicular traffic, much less a 55-ton aircraft. The best way to prevent the plane from becoming stuck in soft soils – and to protect those same soils from the immense pressures exerted upon them by the aircraft – was to create a temporary roadway and Midlantic trusted Mabey Inc. to provide the solution. Mabey product specialist Jim Porreca met with Midlantic and U.S. Air Force engineers to take measurements of the plane, assess the site area and design the solution both parties needed. They decided upon 468 DURA-BASE® composite mats, each measuring 8′x14′, weighing 1,050 lb. and capable of withstanding pressures of up to 600 PSI. The mats were delivered on standard flatbed trucks, laid down using simple on-site equipment and quickly pinned together. Once complete, the mats formed a 42′-wide roadway capable of supporting the plane as it rolled across more than 1,000′ of inhospitable and delicate soil. Removal of the mats was completed quickly, and Mabey personnel were on-site the entire time to ensure a successful project. In the end, both Midlantic Construction LLC and the USAF were impressed with the strength and versatility of Mabey’s temporary roadway products.
