ARMY USES ALGOR FEA TO DESIGN NEW M60 TANK-MOUNTED MINE RAKE

The new Army Mine-Clearing Rake is pictured here attached to the front end of a Combat Engineer Vehicle. The rake is designed to quickly clear a path through Iraqi mine fields. Photo from Desert Storm area. (Courtesy of US Army.)

Algor FEA software was recently utilized in the design of a new Mine Rake which was used in Operation Desert Storm and quickly cleared a safe path through Iraqi mine fields.

The totally new device is designed to fit on M60 tanks and Combat Engineer Vehicles (CEVs) that have a bulldozer blade attached. The Mine Rake assembly consists of an array of tines in a "V" shaped pattern and an aluminum skid shoe which protrudes from the front of the tines and allows the rake to maintain a consistent plowing depth. The unit weighs approximately 4000 pounds and is easily assembled and installed.

According to Public Affairs Officer Joe Morales, "the Mine Rake works by lifting the mines and pushing them to the side as it moves. It clears a path that will accommodate heavy tanks and other armored vehicles."

The FEA analyses were performed by Stephen H. Bennett, PE, at the Army's Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. According to Lawrence J. Nee, Chief, Countermine Development and Engineering Division, "the analysis was performed to verify this new mine-clearing concept. Such a device had never been built before and a detailed structural analysis was required to determine the correct materials and geometry."

Stephen H. Bennett with the desktop system he used to construct and analyze the model.

"Approximately 20 configurations were analyzed with variations in materials and geometry," says Mr. Bennett. "Using FEA, a large reduction in weight was made possible which was critical to avoid overloading the tank's suspension and blade hydraulic systems. FEA was instrumental in selecting the optimal rake tooth geometry and material.

"Failure modes predicted in the analysis were verified in testing and only one minor structural change was made to the mine rakes sent to the field, versus the first prototype design. Using FEA allowed us to get the design right the first time and transition directly from analysis to prototype testing, and then to production with virtually no lost time due to redesign."

If you are among those who think the military can't react to a need quickly, read on. The need for the new Mine Rake was identified in September 1990. By early November, Algor FEA analysis had been completed and prototype units were fabricated at the Belvoir Research Center. Testing took place at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona during the last weeks of November. Actual production began in December and by mid-January 1991, the first units were on their way to Saudi Arabia. All of the Mine Rakes were in the Saudi Arabian theater of operations by mid-February.

The FEA model of the Mine Rake.

Mr. Bennett has plans to use Algor FEA for additional projects in research and development. In his words: "Future projects with Algor will include efforts to develop mine blast-resistant systems."

Concerning the use of Algor FEA software, Mr. Bennett says, "Algor is very user-friendly. Graphic input allows easy manipulation of geometry, loading and constraints. The new decoder allows easy modification of materials and element properties. The ability to join different kinds of elements was vital to this design effort and reduced model size."

Recent unofficial reports from the Persian Gulf reveal that the rake is doing its job well.