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                         March 12, 2004

CME Department involved in 'Project Discovery'

Story and photo by Kathy Eastwood
Staff Writer  

Three faculty members in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering departed for Morocco March 5 to build a Roman Ram-Tortoise battering ram for a Discovery Channel segment on “Ancient Weapons.”

CME Department head Col. Stephen Ressler, instructor Lt. Col. Fred Meyer and associate professor Ledlie Klosky plan to build a battering ram of the same type used in the Roman siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 based on a design by ancient engineer, Apollodorus of Damascus.

“The Ram-Tortoise presented us with the most interesting problems,” Ressler said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to test our fundamental engineering principles in a completely different context.”

The series producer for the Discovery Channel came to West Point in December to interview engineers here on building a weapon and to pick one engineer for the job.

“We were disappointed that the producer was looking for only one engineer and using (Moroccan) carpenters to do the work,” Ressler said. “Through several negotiations, we were finally able to convince them that one engineer never does a project alone, that a team would be needed to work on the project.

“There are just too many logistical and safety concerns involved for just one engineer. They eventually allowed three of us to participate in the project, especially when we said we would build the device,” Ressler added.

The first thing the engineers needed to do was to build a workable model.

For safety, it was necessary to use modern engineering techniques rather than reproducing Roman engineering, Meyer said.

“We went to our laboratory and constructed a four-scale model. We played around with it to see how the device will work,” Meyer said. “For example, we weren’t sure how the log or ramming part of the device should be hung, on the side or from the top.” 

Although a lot of research went into the design and Apollodorus provided some detail, much of the building is speculation, according to Klosky.

“We’ve been able to build a scale model of the device using modern engineering techniques, but once we get out in the field it will be more difficult,” Klosky said. “We don’t know what materials will be available for one thing and a workable model is different from the 20’ by 30’ device that we are actually attempting to build. I’m eager to get out there and see how it will work.”

Others involved in the project include a blacksmith from North Carolina and three timber framers from Washington state because construction of the Ram-Tortoise is only one part of the entire device.

“We want to construct a device as if it were made in the first century, to see if it will break down a wall as it was intended to do. This device can cause heavy damage,” Meyer said. “On top of that, the ram was covered in sheeting of cloth, hay or whatever materials that were on hand. This provided some protection from flaming arrows and other weapons.” 

Although the device has no modern applicability in this day of constantly changing technologies, Klosky thinks that it is an excellent teaching tool.

“We will bring this project into the classrooms next year,” Klosky said. “It’s an excellent outreach project for anyone thinking of studying engineering.”