42The Military Engineer ? July-August ? 2010 Technology News ERDC Demonstrates Bridging Capability for Military and Emergency Operations The Lightweight Modular Causeway System (LMCS) under development by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) addresses Department of Defense (DOD) require- ments for vessels to conduct autonomous of?oading operations at austere sites. The LMCS is designed to be transported and rapidly deployed from vessels, support 70-T vehicles and survive 20-ft waves. Because LMCS uses concepts from ?xed bridging and ?oating causeway systems (10-ft by 20-ft modular sections with attached in?atable tubes similar to pontoons), researchers also saw poten- tial application for expedient bridging. In late April, LMCS bridging was demon- strated in the Arctic Edge 2010 exercise at Fort Richardson, Alaska. The scenario to replace an earthquake-damaged bridge focused on helicopter transportability, employability and the ability of engineer troops to employ the system as bridging in a fast-?owing river. A CH-47 Chinook helicopter was used to sling load and ?y two LMCS sections with the tubes in?ated and de?ated at air speeds of up to 90-knots. Both con?gura- tions worked well and successfully dem- onstrated the capability of ?ying and de- ploying LMCS by helicopter. Twenty members of the 6th Engineer Battalion were tasked to use the LMCS— their ?rst experience with the system—to cross the fast-?owing Eagle River. Using only forklifts for emplacement, the LMCS bridge spanned a 70-ft gap across the river and vehicles were crossing it by mid-af- ternoon. The engineers said they could cut emplacement time in half with more experience and training on the system. The Army is pursuing transition of LMCS to the armed forces for operational ?eld use if funding is obtained. The ?eld- ing of the ?rst LMCS is planned for 2014, with ?ve systems total through 2018. With the successful demonstration of its rapid bridging capability for disaster and emer- gency response operations, it is possible that the LMCS will ?nd a niche for appli- cation in these areas, as well. (Contributed by ERDC) From Bacteria to Electricity: The Future of Green Energy Showcasing its energy research initia- tives during an Earth Day event in April at Compiled by Jill M. Jackson, M.SAME 1#$.$$ PO Box 237, Manchester, NH 03105 Safety and Security Approved Daylighting 1"$",*0&+,$$,"&+*$." 1&,",***"+**,,"&1!,,*(* 1/($+"&&,"& 0+,1$$,!*- !&, *",0 1-**"&**&1*,!)-#&+ 1 ®"&,((*,-&","+1-(*"* &+-$,"&$*&,*$ 55 Years ofInnovation inDaylighting! U.S.Army Reserve Center,Somersworth, NHNaval Air Station, Key West, FL
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