Optimized design of wooden heavy equipment mat

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Laminated wooden heavy equipment mats (HEMs) are increasingly being used at conventional construction sites such as roads and power lines, and in swampy/marshy areas as logging decks and helicopter pads due to growing stringency and enforcement of environmental regulations. Wood is an ideal material to be used in making HEMs because of its light weight, impact absorption ability and low cost. The substantial increase in demand, especially in western Canada, for wooden HEMs has attracted the attention of wood product producers in Atlantic Canada. Truall Inc., in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, is interested in manufacturing and supplying wooden HEMs to natural resources, energy and construction industries across Canada. These HEMs are made of the wood species native to eastern Canada. This project will investigate the potential use of shorter lumber (less than 20ft) and a few fastening patterns in fabrication of HEMs. The specific objective of this project is to identify fastening patterns and eastern wood species that will have potential in fabrication of HEM in the short term. In the longer term the technical information to be generated in this project will assist in the design of a future research project that will lead to an engineering design approach to wooden HEMs marketed by Truall Inc. To achieve the project objective, the project will be conducted using a combination of experimental and finite element modelling work. 3-ft wide and 20-ft long strip HEM specimens will be fabricated to verify the optimal configuration of HEM identified from finite element analysis. The developed product design, incorporating alternative wood species available in Atlantic Canada, use of lumber with shorter length and strategic fastening patterns will be forwarded to Truall Inc., which would revolutionize the HEM industry. No doubt, the increased demand for HEMs in the resource, construction and energy sectors will generate tremendous business opportunities for Truall across Canada.