Courtesy Photo | The engineers of 814th Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC) construct the second floating...... read more read more
By Lt. Cmdr. David McAlister,
Lt. j.g. Daniel Sommerville
AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq - The gray, dismal day was no deterrent for the engineers of 814th Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC), also known as bridgers, as they constructed the second floating span of a Mabey Johnson Float Bridge in the Al Anbar Province, Jan. 25.
With the continued emphasis on reducing coalition force impact to the local Iraqi population, 30th Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) (Forward) coordinated the emplacement of the Mabey Johnson Float Bridge as a replacement to the Tactical Assault Float Bridge that has been deployed at this site for nearly a year.
A Mabey Johnson Float Bridge is supported by pontoons in the water rather than fixed piers in the ground. The floating bridge was designed to be deployed during an assault or troop movement to enable the troops to cross a wet gap or river. The engineers would travel ahead to install the floating bridge so the convoys could continue across the river. The bridgers would then fall behind to collect the bridge and prepare for the next wet gap.
"This bridge satisfies three objectives vital to Multi-National Force - West," says Lt. Wade Horton, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) area construction engineer. "It maintains a critical line of communication, reduces maintenance requirements from daily to monthly, and allows for tactical redeployment of extremely limited assault float bridging."
The bridging mission progressed on schedule despite the challenges encountered since the project began. While the site is excellent from an operational standpoint, it required substantial site preparation by the Soldiers of 82nd Engineer Support Company to stabilize the soil, establish adequate approaches to the bridge and relocate irrigation equipment used by a local farmer.
One of the unusual challenges overcome by the construction crew was the unpredictable and dramatic change in river water level caused by an upstream dam releasing water in response to the requirements of a local hydroelectric facility.
"These water level fluctuations changed the river level by as much as three feet in the space of one to two hours," said 30th NCR (Fwd) Operations Officer, Lt. Cmdr. David McAlister. "As the team prepared to launch the first floating span, the water level rose three feet without warning. The launching rollers and bridge were raised to account for the change in water level in order to ensure that bridge span could be successfully launched onto the pontoons."
Working with the Mabey Johnson field service representative, the Army engineers were able to rapidly reconfigure the launch site and successfully place the first floating span onto pontoons.
The Mabey Johnson Float Bridge is the first of its type to be emplaced by 814th MRBC. Through exceptional training and interaction with an on-site Mabey Johnson technical representative, the bridge went together flawlessly.
"The bridgers of 814th MRBC are highly motivated and aggressively sought ways to complete the project ahead of schedule," said McAlister. "Even while coordinating a daily visit by a local Iraqi farmer whose irrigation pump is on the project site and working beside an Iraqi contractor as they completed repairs to a local railway system, the team executed their mission safely."
The crew of Army bridgers was augmented by steelworkers from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 15 who contributed vital welding expertise necessary to prepare the floating pontoons.
"The NMCB 15 steelworkers welded distribution beams and winch trays to the pontoons. The distribution beams distribute the weight of the bridge and vehicular traffic across the pontoons and the winch trays secure the anchorage system to the pontoons." said Lt. j.g. Daniel Sommerville, 30th NCR (Fwd) engineering officer.
This project is an exciting example of successful partnership between Army and Navy engineers.
"The project is truly a complex construction evolution requiring coordination between crane operators, boat operators, and soldiers on the ground", said Sommerville. "Observing the effective and safe interaction between the crane crews, boat crews, and bridgers evokes pride in being an engineer and appreciation for the professionalism and skill possessed by the Army bridgers!"
Once the two floating spans and two landing spans were completed, ramps were constructed at each approach. The final product, completed Feb. 3, is a single lane bridge capable of sustained operations with minimal maintenance required from coalition forces.
"This is one more opportunity for engineers in Al Anbar to make a difference for the coalition forces, for the Iraqi security forces, and most importantly the Iraqi people," said McAlister. "Ensuring mobility across Al Anbar will not only allow the Iraqi security forces to continue their progression towards self reliance, but ensures the local Iraqi economy is free to prosper and gets the Iraqis that much closer to a normal life."
| Date Taken: | 02.07.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 02.07.2008 13:13 |
| Story ID: | 16127 |
| Location: | AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 1,275 |
| Downloads: | 902 |
This work, Army Engineers and Navy Seabees Work In Partnership On a New Bridge, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
