Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 15, 2010
The latest version of the Dry Support Bridge (DSB), an advanced tactical military bridging system from WFEL, uses more than 1,000 Rotabolt tension control fasteners to ensure structural integrity.
The DSB has a special lightweight construction featuring a series of aluminium modules, which are pinned together using steel jaws.
The design of the jaw system relies on a guaranteed clamping force across the bolted joints.
The new DSB can be deployed in less than 90 minutes by eight soldiers using a single launch vehicle.
It can span a gap of 46m and carry up to 120 tonnes of load.
An added benefit is that, during the assembly process in the field, the Rotacap on top of each Rotabolt can be quickly and easily 'finger checked' to see that the correct tension or load has been achieved.
Rod Corbett from Rotabolt said: 'When a standard bolt is tightened using traditional practice, the clamping force or tension across the joint is completely unknown.
'Our fasteners not only achieve the correct design tension, but they continue to monitor and maintain it throughout the life of the joint,' he added.
The DSB's primary use is to support the momentum of attack and then ensure supply routes to the battlefield.
The US Army has been using the original DSB system since 2003 and the latest version from WFEL has seen an increase in its load capacity and span.
Rotabolt's tension control fasteners are being used to assure integrity wherever bolted joints are subject to structural slippage, pressure containment, vibration or fatigue.
They are increasingly being used in offshore exploration, wind energy, chemical processing, transport and defence.
