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  #1  
Old 24-06-08, 20:44
Noel Burgess Noel Burgess is offline
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Default Sommerfeld Track

Can any of you knowlegable gents provide any details and description of Sommerfeld Track. I assume it was some form of steel mesh and know that it came in 12.5 or 25 yard rolls but thats about it

Noel
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  #2  
Old 25-06-08, 01:16
Alex Blair (RIP) Alex Blair (RIP) is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Noel Burgess View Post
Can any of you knowlegable gents provide any details and description of Sommerfeld Track. I assume it was some form of steel mesh and know that it came in 12.5 or 25 yard rolls but thats about it

Noel
Noel Try this..

Sommerfeld Track

14-10. Although the Sommerfeld track is not a standard supply item, it was a British item in World War II and may appear again in TOs. A Sommerfeld track is light, easily laid, and highly suitable for beach roadways in landing operations. It is made of prefabricated wire-mesh netting and steel bearing rods ( Figure 14-4 ).

Figure 14-4. Sommerfeld Track


Construction

14-11. Bend steel bearing rods at the ends to form 5-inch loops so that steel flats can be threaded through them. The rods stretch the netting without affecting its flexibility for rolling. It is better to remove four out of every five transverse bearing rods; otherwise, they bend up at the ends under normal traffic and catch in the undercarriage of vehicles. Bend the removed bars into U shapes and use them as extra pickets. Half-inch wire rope can be substituted for the transverse bars. Use special buckles (six for each joint) to connect the end rods of successive rolls of mesh at the transverse joint, and use pickets to anchor the track. Pickets are supplied with the track—25 percent are heavy and 75 percent are light. The heavy pickets are better to use in loose sand and gravel where traffic is heavy. An assembled, 100-yard track weighs about 2 1/2 tons.

14-12. Flexible 9- by 3-foot duckboards are used with a Sommerfeld track to give it added depth. Lay the duckboards end to end, and secure them with ordinary pickets. In addition to duckboards, anything from burlap to corduroy can be placed under the track to increase its depth and flotation in varying degrees.

14-13. To construct a road with a Sommerfeld track, begin by rolling a mat out on the ground. Place flats and rods, and stake the mat by placing one picket at each overlap of steel flats and at the center of each transverse rod. To stretch the track taut after it is laid, start pickets with their heads slanting toward the center and with the flat over the picket and slightly off the ground. As you drive the picket into the ground, place a rope sling over the picket and pull the picket to a vertical position (this draws the mesh taut). The mesh netting is not strong, so the picket must bear against the steel flats or transverse rods.
Sommerfeld Sandwich

14-14. For soft beaches or underwater, make a Sommerfeld sandwich by enclosing flexible duckboards between two layers of Sommerfeld track. The upper layer of the sandwich enables vehicle tires to grip; the lower layer gives depth and flotation so that the structure remains on the surface of the sand or mud.
Monkton Pack

14-15. A Monkton pack is a Sommerfeld track that is folded in 7 1/2-foot lengths with the steel flats already threaded ( Figure 14-5 ). The main advantage of a Monkton pack is its speed of laying.

Figure 14-5. Monkton Pack


Go Here for pictures..

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...436/chap14.htm
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  #3  
Old 26-06-08, 01:14
lynx42 lynx42 is offline
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Alex well done. I'm always amazed at the rate of replies to the most obscure topics on MLU. I've learnt something today so the day hasn't been wasted.
Rick
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  #4  
Old 27-06-08, 22:32
Noel Burgess Noel Burgess is offline
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Thanks Alex I ws aware of that site but had thought that everything on it was "too modern" formy tastes.

Noel
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  #5  
Old 01-07-08, 22:48
Noel Burgess Noel Burgess is offline
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Been stooging arround a few websites of US engineers - found these two photos of what looks like Sommerfeld track on the South of France beaches
From http://www.dogfacesoldiers.org/
Attached Thumbnails
Sommerfeld 2.jpg   Sommerfeld `.jpg  
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