Site Access Options
A wide array of solutions for getting things where they need to go
Gravel Roads
Depending on the project’s duration, traffic, and surrounding conditions, a temporary gravel road may be the most efficacious means of traversing certain terrain. Such an effort requires a large amount of expertise, due to the many safety, environmental, and economical considerations.
Designing a temporary gravel road is a fairly sophisticated challenge. The materials and bearing layer used need to support the massive loads that will be crossing them constantly. But both installation and removal come with costs, so proper engineering pays huge dividends over guesswork. Desoto’s design experts boast decades of experience, and all the professional credentials one could expect.
Crane Matting
Hardwood Mats
Traditional hardwood mats are a robust, simple solution to building modular, temporary access routes. Make from dense hardwood and end-sealed for rot protection, they can be quickly assembled into roadways, staging areas, and even short crossings over waterways, pipelines, or other obstacles.
Hardwood mats come in a wide array of sizes–including custom–to meet your exact specifications.
CLT Mats
Cross-laminated timber is a lighter-weight, engineered alternative to a heavy hardwood mat. At only a third the weight, it’s also twice as strong and five times as stiff, making it an ideal solution for flat surfaces. The lighter weight also saves freight charges.
CLT is not, however, ideal for all situations. The mats tend to float, therefore aren’t recommended in wet areas. They also can’t be repaired in the field, instead requiring replacements when they inevitably wear down.
Composite Mats
These highly-engineered crane mats are made from a range of high-performance, man-made materials, therefore can be built to a wide array of specifications. Pound-for-pound, they almost universally outperform timber mats, meaning reduced shipping costs. They can be built extremely heavy-duty, with load-bearing capabilities up to 600 psi, or light-duty for less demanding conditions.
Composite mats are also extremely durable, the only type of crane mat that can be reliably reused from job to job. They’re flexible, therefore configurable to virtually any requirement. And aggressive traction control can be cast into their surfaces, preventing vehicle slippage under the most extremen conditions.
Bridging
Anyone who lives and works in the southeastern United States knows that respecting water is critical to one’s success. When access routes cross waterways, engineered solutions come into play.
Our engineered bridging system will support vehicles up to 100 tons as they span gaps up to 35’. The device is highly modular, sets up and packs down rapidly, and bears on a modest footprint (40’ max system length).