At Fort Benning, Georgia, a massive expansion and renovation effort is under way as part of its Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) initiatives. During the next four years, the post is scheduled to complete $3.5 billion in construction, much of it tied to creating the Maneuver Center of Excellence, which will unite Fort Benning’s Infantry Center with the Armor Center and School from Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 2011.
As part of this considerable effort, over 20,000 acres are being transformed to create facilities for the Armor School. Contech’s innovative products are being used to help facilitate this fast-track construction. Fort Benning’s Directorate of Public Works (DPW) chose the CON/SPAN Bridge System to replace a deteriorating tank stream crossing and to accommodate the Heavy Equipment Transport (HET) loading and maintenance requirements.
A 42’ span x 9.17‘ rise, 40’ long CON/SPAN structure was installed with two 4’ - 10” tall precast headwalls and four 16’ x 5” long precast wingwalls.
ArmorFlex hard armor was used for the Selby Hill Combined Arms Collective Training Facility at Fort Benning, along with TriAx geogrid, for a tank turning pad. Using this articulated concrete block system provided a speedy and more flexible alternative to a traditional concrete pad.
Severe rains and flooding also washed out several roadways at Fort Benning and Sunshine Road was in need of an emergency repair. The United States Army DPW searched for a culvert solution that could accomodate the swampy area and 28 feet of cover and chose DuroMaxx steel reinforced polyethylene pipe (SRPE) for the culvert crossing.
A triple barreled 48” diameter DuroMaxx system - each 100 feet in length - was installed on the site. The contractor could only work during certain hours on certain days of the week as there were periodic live fire exercises that closed the roadway, making a fast installation crucial. The DuroMaxx pipe was precut at the plant and arrived on site ready for a speedy installation. DuroMaxx, in 24” and 36” diameters, is also used as a storm drain solution in several Fort Benning locations.