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Lightweight modular causeway beats hurricane force winds
February 25th, 2009 | AUSA Winter 2009 | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has developed a lightweight modular causeway system that can be used for waterway crossings and for helping bridge water borne insertions of soldiers into shallow ports. The system is buoyed by a chain of air bags and, unlike the rigid causeways being used now, the new modular causeway can survive hurricane strength storms, according to Dr. James R. Houston, director of research and development for the Corps of Engineers, who spoke at the mid-winter meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army in Fort Lauderdale, Fla at Tuesday’s opening science and technology session. The causeway is designed to be deployed by seven soldiers in three hours, versus the current system which takes 100 soldiers at least 24 hours to deploy, he said. Another item being developed and tested by the Corps is a cylindrically shaped, heavy duty bag filled with water that can help seal off breaks in major levies, like those that were breached during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The new device will be tested soon by the Corps and the Department of Homeland Security.
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