29 Apr 2026

Bridge Load Rating for US Army Installations: Guidance

Abstract: This report summarizes Army policy and provides technical guidance for the load rating of vehicular and railroad bridges on US Army installations. These bridges must be load rated to determine and ensure their abilities to support the Army’s heavy military vehicles as well as all public-sector cars, trucks, or trains (in the case of railroad bridges). Installation bridge management and load ratings are accomplished under the Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Army Dams and Transportation Infrastructure Program (ADTIP), with technical support from the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC).

23 Feb 2026

Ice Cutting and Removal for Cold Weather Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) Crossings

Frozen rivers provide an obstacle for any military force, as ice impedes the use of Improved Ribbon Bridges (IRBs) or other bridging vehicles. Finding an efficient way to cut and remove ice to allow for the emplacement of bridging assets is critical. The US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory’s (CRREL) Cold Weather IRB team went to Camp Grafton, North Dakota, to collect data for the North Dakota National Guard who were conducting a frozen wet gap crossing in February of 2022. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to evaluate strategies for ice cutting, removal, and IRB placement. After ice cutting and removal, an IRB bay was successfully placed in the frozen pond. Laboratory tests were conducted in March 2022 to examine different chainsaw chains for cutting an ice sheet grown in the Geophysical Research Facility (GRF) at CRREL. Chainsaws were determined to be an effective tool for cutting ice, and the speed and comfortability of different chains were documented. The data collected from this project will help to drive the North Dakota National Guard creation of a winter bridging course and will be used to update the Army’s Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for cold weather bridging operations.

24 Nov 2025

Ice Demolition Techniques—Rapid Improved Ribbon Bridge Placement and Enemy Forces Denial: Using Traditional Military Explosives Under Ice

Abstract: As the United States military focuses on furthering their lethality across cold regions, developing new techniques for equipment usage is necessary. On 19 March 2025, the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center–Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (ERDC-CRREL) collaborated with the Army Engineers from the 50th Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC), 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB), and Sapper Leader Course (SLC) to determine whether explosives can be used for Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) placement in ice-laden environments. As the US Army adapts to meet the evolving threats from foreign adversaries, there is an increased tactical necessity for enhanced bridging capabilities in frozen terrain. Developing an expedient method of removing ice from these waterways and placing IRBs for easy crossing of heavy military equipment is essential. Through this experiment it was determined that the use of a 40 lb cratering charge primed with M152 boosters significantly fractures the ice cover expeditiously. However, the ice expulsion rate found in this experiment was insufficient for IRB deployment which requires 60% expulsion rate. Although the experiment fell short of IRB requirements, it proved to be an efficient and effective countermobility tool for units who use frozen water ways as avenues of approach.

10 Oct 2025

Standard Operating Procedures for the Site Selection, Design, and Maintenance of Low-Water Crossing Linear Infrastructure in Cold Regions

Abstract: Low-water crossings (LWCs) are critical components of DoD infrastructure in Alaska and other cold regions, yet their effective siting, design, construction, and maintenance are challenged by remote locations, limited environmental data, seasonal hydrology, and complex terrain. Harsh winter conditions, rapid spring melt, and freeze–thaw cycles introduce hazards such as ice-related scour, debris loading, and variable streambed stability. In cold-region operational areas, natural processes such as permafrost degradation, shifting hydrologic regimes, and sudden flood events from glacial or thermokarst activity further increase risk to infrastructure performance and longevity. This report addresses these challenges by consolidating best practices and mitigation strategies for LWC implementation in cold environments. Drawing on technical literature, input from land managers, and existing agency standards and SOPs, the report identifies key considerations for improving LWC resilience. These include accounting for ice forces, complex geotechnical challenges, sediment transport, and the use of appropriate materials to name a few. By framing LWCs within a systems-based approach to site selection and engineering design, the report provides guidance for supporting safe and sustainable operations across Arctic and Subarctic training environments. It serves as a technical resource for DoD planners and engineers tasked with managing infrastructure in cold regions.

30 Apr 2025

Evaluation of Anchorage for the Bridge Supplemental Set: Uplift Capacity in Weak Soils and Installation Limits for the ROCK-IT Lead Section

Abstract: Two series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the uplift capacity of Bridge Supplemental Set (BSS) anchors in weak/dense soils. Six anchors were installed in two different sites consisting of very soft soils, and tension was applied until uplift. Experimental uplift capacities were compared to theoretical minimum capacities, which proved to be a conservative way to estimate anchor capacity. Minimum average installation torque of 1,750 ft-lb was recommended. Sixteen anchors were installed in six different sites with dense soils. Soils with N values of 22 and higher prohibited anchor installation, indicating that anchors can only be installed in soils with densities up to medium dense sandy and very still clay soils.

17 Dec 2024

Full-Scale Demonstration of the Modernized Bridge Supplemental Set

Abstract: The Overhead Cable System (OCS) serves as the main anchorage system of the Bridge Supplemental Set and is used to hold the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) against river flow. Several improvements have been made to OCS components and employment procedures, theoretically allowing the OCS to operate safely within most environments. However, the modernized OCS had yet to be constructed over an actual river, making it necessary to conduct a full-scale capability demonstration. Range W2 of Camp Ripley was selected as the test site because the 200th Multi-Role Bridge Company agreed to support the demonstration during an ongoing training cycle. A site reconnaissance trip revealed environmental obstacles on each bank, which made the site a unique test for the modernized OCS. The OCS model, a software package developed to analyze the loading imposed by river drag force on the OCS, was used to design a unique layout that circumvents Camp Ripley’s environmental challenges. The OCS was successfully deployed over Camp Ripley’s wet gap flowing at a river speed of 3.5 ft/s, and the IRB supported vehicular traffic for 3 hr before safe disassembly. Several lessons were learned regarding system deployment, and data were collected to facilitate technical manual development.

11 Sep 2024

Evaluation of the Bridge Supplement Set overhead cable system with uneven bank heights

Abstract: A numerical model was developed to analyze the effects of environmental conditions and construction layout on the structural capacity of the modernized Bridge Supplemental Set (BSS). Environmental variables included even and uneven bank heights, soil strength, river width, and river flow rate conditions. Construction variables included tower placement, tower guy line orientation, and catenary length. Loading conditions, the drag force of the bridge due to river current, were conservatively applied with the assumption of uniform flow rate across the entire river width to account for the wide range of operating environments in which the BSS may potentially be used. Analysis of system performance informed several BSS construction optimizations to maximize system capabilities over the wide range of conditions considered. Catenary length was found to have the greatest influence on system performance, indicating that a small increase in catenary length would greatly reduce the loading on the critical components of the BSS, thus increasing the capacity and safety of the system. A stand-alone computer program was developed to quickly provide BSS construction guidance for a large variety of operating conditions, as the number of charts and figures required to account for most scenarios numbers in the thousands.

25 Jul 2023

Bridge Resource Inventory Database for Gap Emplacement Selection (BRIDGES)

Abstract: Wet gap crossings are one of the most complex maneuvers undertaken by military engineers, who, along with engineer planners, require better tools to increase the capacity for efficient use of limited bridging resources across the battlespace. Planning for bridging maneuvers often involves a complicated and inefficient system of ad hoc spreadsheets combined with an overreliance on the personal experience and training of subject matter experts (SMEs). Bridge Resource Inventory Database for Gap Emplacement Selection (BRIDGES) uses interactive mapping and database technology in order to streamline the bridging planning process and provide answers to question about myriad scenarios to maximize efficiency and provide better means of data persistence across time and data sharing across operational or planning units.

3 Oct 2022

Cold Regions Vehicle Start: Cold Performance of Ultracapacitor-Based Batteries for Stryker Vehicles

Abstract: Reliable vehicle start is necessary to support mission success, especially for response time. At Department of Defense installations in cold regions, vehicles using rechargeable battery and starter technologies have significant issues starting in the cold. Ultracapacitor engine start modules (ESMs) are an alternate technology to rechargeable lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries. The project develops a performance baseline for the ESM used in the M1126 Stryker Combat Vehicle under cold conditions. To test the performance of the ESMs in a cold room, a mechanical load system was constructed to replicate the load of starting a Stryker engine and instrumented with sensors to monitor parameters such as voltage, torque, and temperature. The ESMs were tested with the load system at temperatures from 24°C to −40°C. The results of the tests showed that there was some degradation of the ultracapacitor’s performance at the colder temperatures, which was expected, but no permanent damage. This work provides a test protocol and capability to evaluate next-generation vehicle battery systems for cold regions applications. Additionally, the ESM cold performance data establish a baseline to compare next-generation vehicle battery storage systems and to support cold regions missions and identify potential performance requirements for future vehicle battery system acquisition.

29 Nov 2021

A Detailed Approach to Autonomous Vehicle Control through Ros and Pixhawk Controllers

Abstract: A Polaris MRZR military utility vehicle was used as a testing platform to develop a novel, low cost yet feature-rich, approach to adding remote operation and autonomous driving capability to a military vehicle. The main concept of operation adapts steering and throttle output from a low cost commercially available Pixhawk autopilot controller and translates the signal into the necessary inputs for the Robot Operating System (ROS) based drive by wire system integrated into the MRZR. With minimal modification these enhancements could be applied to any vehicle with similar ROS integration. This paper details the methods and testing approach used to develop this autonomous driving capability.