Construction zones and oil drilling projects typically need to access areas that are not easy to get to. Typically, construction zones risk hurting the flora and fauna underneath the zone as well. Even if you are in a city, pedestrian, passenger vehicle, and heavy-duty pickup trucks can cause disturbances as well.
Extremely heavy construction equipment like bulldozers and cranes can do even more damage when it comes to remote or protected locations. Access Mats are essentially the answer to these problems. These temporary access mats are affordable and extremely practical. By providing a path that allows traffic to cross, you can protect people, vehicles, or simply the ground below your construction site.
Let’s get into some information regarding access mats so you can better decide whether or not you need to use them for your construction projects.
What are Access Mats Made From?
There are a few different materials that access mats can be made out of, such as hardwood (like oak or a mixture of different woods) or composite. Wood is used because it can often take large amounts of pressure without breaking. Although this wood is treated to prevent rotting and splitting, there are still issues when it comes to wood access mats.
Composite mats are your best bet. These are made with high-density polyethylene, known as HDPE. These mats are made either hollow for easy moving, or solid for additional strength. These mats are interlocked with steel bolts or other fasteners, allowing for easy installation.
Typically, composite mats are used in environmentally sensitive areas or for oil drilling. This is because composite mats will not absorb oil spills, so the ground remains untainted if this occurs.
What are Access Mats Used for?
There are many reasons why you might use access mats. The different types of mats are also suited to the load you need to support.
Light Duty
Light duty mats can support weights and machinery of up to 15-20 tons. Depending on the ground condition, the weight limit will vary. These mats are great if you need to change the direction of pedestrian traffic.
Medium Duty
Medium duty mats can support up to 40 tons of weight. These are better suited for projects that require commercial vehicles, cars, and four-wheel-drive vehicles to drive on their mats.
Heavy Duty
Heavy-duty mats can support huge types of machinery such as cranes and oil drilling rigs. These mats are perfect for projects in swamps, oil fields, staging areas, temporary roadways leading to construction sites, and other construction needs.
Why Use Access Mats?
Access mats are great for a variety of jobs. Not only can they facilitate traffic redirections, but they can make it easier to physically get to a construction site as well. Access mats help to prevent erosion, compaction, and destruction of natural lands. Not only will they allow you to be ecologically compliant, but they provide an all-around safer job site due to safer ground conditions.
Contact Diamond T Services to learn more.