Engineer Design Test of Retractor Ram for Prototype Beach Discharge Lighter

摘要

The report covers the engineer design test of a retractor ram installed in the U. S. Army beach discharge lighter Lt. Col. John U. D. Page (BDL-1X). The purpose of the test was to evaluate the effectiveness of the ram in beach retraction. Report concludes: (a) The bearing area of the ram pad is not adequate for effective use in soil conditions such as those encountered on the beaches at Fort Story and Little Creek, Virginia; (b) the stroke of the ram is not adequate when the BDL-1X grounds aft of the ram pad on sand bars of the type encountered at Little Creek; (c) the value of the ram was not evident during the beach retractions carried out under this test. (Author)