Cold Regions Technical Digest. Number 94-1, March 1994. Clearing Ice for Bridging Operations

• Main Author: Diemand, Deborah
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1994
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Civil Engineering; *ICE; *BRIDGES; THICKNESS; CROSSINGS; PONTOONS; GIRDER BRIDGES; ARMORED VEHICLES; UNDERWATER EXPLOSIONS; CONSTRUCTION; RIVER ICE; BRIDGING; RIBBON BRIDGES; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA280227; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA280227

If river ice is not strong (thick) enough to allow it to be crossed by driving vehicles directly on the ice cover, then alternative means of crossing must be implemented. If the river is narrow enough, an Armored Vehicle Launching Bridge (AVLB) or a Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) can be used. However, if the river is too wide for either of these and too deep to ford, it may be necessary to use a float bridge (ribbon bridge) as described in TM 5-210 and TM 5-5420-209-12. The ribbon bridge is designed for deployment and use in water using flotation to aid in unfolding of the individual bays. On a solid ice surface, the bridge is difficult to unfold because the bow pontoons, hinged on the upper surface of the section, cannot open freely. The pontoons will either become jammed with snow, if it has not been cleared from the area, or dig into the ice with the protruding tie-down pins. Both unfolding the bays and connecting them together require a great deal of machinery and time-consuming adjustment. Therefore, it is preferable to remove the ice cover at least in the area where the bridge sections will be launched. Before installing the bridge, the ice cover must be broken up and all fragments removed so that the bridge can be launched in clear water.