30 Jan 2025

Improved Trafficability Over Soft Soils Using Ground Matting

Abstract: Soft soils pose mobility challenges, even for vehicles designed with superior off-road capabilities. When numerous vehicles travel the same path, permanent deformation of the soil can result in rut depths that exceed vehicle ground clearance. These challenges can be overcome by modifying ground conditions to improve bearing capacity or spreading wheel loads over a greater area. Researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center conducted field tests to quantify the performance benefits of a ground matting system made of connected fiberglass panels designed to improve vehicle mobility on soft soils. Soil conditions included silt, sand, and highly organic soil with varying strength. Test vehicles included wheeled trucks with gross weights of approximately 6350 kg per axle. Performance of the matting system was assessed by the number of allowable vehicle crossings with and without matting present. Results from testing showed that allowable number of vehicles increased by at least a factor of ten on the weakest soils. Data presented herein includes geotechnical site characterization, soil deformation as a function of traffic, and material characteristics for the fiberglass matting system.