Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowtractor
I just watched a show on bridging equip. and the Canadian army is looking at a Hemitt launched post supported bridge currently being developed. The vertical posts have large feet on the bottom to spread the weight over a large area. I wouild think that German ones do also.
The Canadian system can bridge any length with additional spans added and it was only a couple of guys and very little physical labour. Very cool.
Sean
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Sounds like a case of "What was once old is new again" to me. This method of bridging looks to have a couple of advantages over pontoon bridging, one of which was to allow floating debris to pass beneath the bridge instead of piling up against the pontoons. There must have been a huge strain on the pontoons especially during Spring run-off which must have had to been monitored constantly for fear of losing the bridge. I have a R.C.E. picture clearly showing the large anchors used to hold the pontoons in place. Of course, the spindly stilits would have been susceptible to suffering a direct hit from a large floating tree. The water in the pictures looks quite still so maybe this system was considered only for ponds, lakes, and swamps.
CHIMO! Derek.