Understanding Ground Protection Mat Load Ratings

Ground protection mat load rating explained: spread load, point load, and ground bearing pressure — what the numbers mean and how to size safely.

Spread load vs point load

Every ground protection mat load rating quotes two different numbers, and confusing them is how mats fail. Spread load is the total weight a mat distributes across its whole area; point load is the pressure under a single contact like an outrigger float or a track grouser. A mat can carry a high spread load and still need a pad under a concentrated point load.

Ground bearing pressure is the real limit

The mat does not set the limit — the soil does. Divide the load by the contact area to get ground bearing pressure, then compare it to the soil’s safe bearing capacity. If the pressure beats what the ground can hold, the mat sinks no matter how strong it is. This is why soft soil needs a bigger footprint, not just a thicker board.

Why bigger mats help

Doubling the contact area roughly halves the pressure on the ground. On weak soil, a larger bog mat or a run of linked panels prevents punch-through and rutting far better than a thicker but smaller mat. Footprint beats thickness once the ground, not the mat, is the weak link.

Point loads need a pad

Outrigger and jack feet concentrate enormous pressure on a tiny float. There the answer is a dedicated crane outrigger pad sized by load ÷ ground bearing, not a general access mat. Treat point loads as their own calculation rather than assuming the roadway mat will cope.

Size with a margin

Quoted figures assume a competent, evenly prepared sub-grade. Always size with a safety margin, allow for dynamic loads as machines move and slew, and for critical lifts have a competent person verify ground conditions on the day. The cheapest insurance on a lift is a pad one size up — and load rating is the core of how to choose the right ground protection mat.

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