The module
Its geometry and stiffness govern its local response to wheel or track contact.
TECHNICAL NOTE / XTREMEM
One module. Connections. A system.
Access performance is understood through the modules, their connections and the ground that supports them.
XtremeM combines a one-piece rotationally moulded shell, overlapping edges and mechanical connections. This architecture creates a connected access surface that can be recovered and reconfigured as the project evolves.
BST XTM ASSEMBLY · 20 October 2026 edition
01 / The assembly
Consider the platform, not just the panel
A staggered layout and bolted connections are central to the system. Evaluating load distribution means considering three components together.
The connections
Overlaps and mechanical connections join adjacent modules. Their behaviour contributes to the response of the assembly.
The supporting ground
Its bearing strength, moisture and deformation influence platform response and operating conditions.
The number of connected modules alone does not determine a bearing-capacity gain. The effective loaded area depends on panel and connection stiffness, the loads and the ground, among other factors.
02 / The tests
Three data points, three mechanisms
The original reports document different types of loading. Reading them together supports a configuration suited to the project.
Connections · lateral load
20 metric tonnes
Attested resistance to a lateral load for the system described with at least four connectors.
Signed letter, 13 November 2024. [1]
Compression · local test
828 psi ≈ 5.71 MPa
Pressure measured at 22.5 mm displacement under an 8 × 8 in plate, on a solid area of a specimen.
Cube Automation, October 2016. [2]
Bending · supported panel
7 measured points
Load–deflection pairs recorded on a panel with two supports spaced 4 ft (1.22 m) apart.
COR Engineering, September 2017. [3]
Compression: retain the test context
The test used a 12 × 16 in specimen, loaded on its solid area through an 8 × 8 × 1 in plate. It characterizes the specimen’s local response.
Two reference points from the original report
- 828 psi
- 22.5 mmPressure and displacement recorded together.
- 948 psi
- Not recordedPressure subsequently reached before the test stopped.
These results alone do not establish an allowable platform load. The 400 t/m² pressure in the dossier’s technical data sheet is a separate figure (≈ 3.92 MPa), not a conversion of 828 psi. [2]
Bending: the seven original measurements
An 8 in tube applies the load; two 8 in tubes act as supports, spaced 4 ft (1.22 m) centre to centre. The table reproduces the report’s values without extrapolation.
A single-panel test in this arrangement. It is neither a spanning-capacity rating nor a test of the connected assembly on ground. [3]
| Reported load (kg) | Deflection (mm) |
|---|---|
| 1,633 | 8 |
| 3,382 | 18 |
| 5,252 | 29 |
| 7,141 | 50 |
| 9,091 | 64 |
| 11,045 | 88 |
| 12,951 | 118 |
Ground conditions and load distribution
The engineering dossier includes finite-element simulations attributed to COR Engineering. They explore the module’s response under wheel or track loads and at different CBR values, an indicator of ground bearing strength. The results include relationships between CBR, applied pressure and displacement. [4]
These pages report simulation results, distinct from physical tests. Project use requires confirmation of the model, configuration, contact conditions and acceptance criteria. The available pages do not quantify a bearing-capacity gain from increasing the number of connected modules.
03 / Your application
Build the right configuration for your access
Define the operation
Loads, wheel or track footprints, traffic, manoeuvres, speed and duration of use.
Understand the terrain
Support bearing strength and deformation, moisture, slopes, water flows and seasonal changes.
Define the assembly
Module layout, overlaps, connectors, edges and transitions, following the applicable instructions.
Validate and monitor
Design-team review, module and connection inspections, and monitoring of operating conditions.
Modules require underlying support. Access selection and water management are designed together at site scale.
Go back to the original documents
The page numbers below refer to the PDF files. The documents are in English and can be accessed below in their original version.
- [1] Signed attestation — 13 November 2024
Louis DeGrâce, P.Eng. · p. 1 · Lateral load, electrical resistivity and galvanizing of locking parts.
- [2] Engineering dossier — compression
Cube Automation, October 2016 · pp. 9–10. Technical data sheet pressure: p. 3.
- [3] Engineering dossier — bending
COR Engineering, September 2017 · pp. 6–7.
- [4] Engineering dossier — simulations
Summary of finite-element simulations attributed to COR Engineering · pp. 14–17.
This note supports the reading of the reports. It does not replace installation instructions or a site-specific design approval.
Move from data to your project
Let’s discuss the terrain, equipment and operating conditions to prepare your access solution.
Alain Bélanger · CEO – Beyond Sustainable Tech
alainb@beyonders.ca · +1 506-284-0005