It is the intent of this SBIR to design a thermoplastic composite flooring system to replace the current commercially available plywood floors and steel forklift pockets for DoD 20 ft tactical shelters. LRM Industries intends to develop an innovative design(s) using a long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material system that has significantly greater strength and wear resistance using material properties and design features then any other wood, metal or composite counterparts. This flooring system will contain these needed functional parts thus eliminating the shortcomings of the current flooring and substrate details that are now available to the Air Force for its Composite Rigid Wall Relocatable Structures: As the proposed LRM floor panel can have a non symmetric panel lay-up thus allowing that the upper skin of the floor panel to be a specifically designed (material and thickness) wear surface for long service live Panel thickness will be a nominal 2 inches (56mm) thickness which is 33% thinner than the available panel allowing more interior space (approx 12 cubic feet) Require no under floor bracing supports thus reducing weight and shelter manufacturing costs Integral all composite forklift pockets reducing weight and eliminating corrosion issues.
Keywords: Composite, Shelter, Wear Resistance, Forklift Tunnel, Thermoplastic Composite, Thermoplastic Flowforming, Tpf
