Composite vs aluminium
trackway.
Comparing the HDPE-based TM120 and TM200 MegaDeck HD+ systems with aluminium trackway. Start with the ground and the job, then examine the connections, layout, handling and complete project cost.
Choose a system for the site.
Both polymer mats and aluminium panels can be candidates for temporary vehicle access. Neither material alone establishes whether a route will carry the proposed traffic. The exact panel, supporting ground, connection layout and operating conditions decide the answer.
“Composite” is used broadly in this market. Here it refers to the polymer-based TM120 and MegaDeck systems below. Aluminium trackway also covers different designs: a specification for one supplier’s panel does not apply to every silver roadway.
This guide compares access over supporting ground. A trench crossing, crane outrigger position or plant working platform needs its own design assessment. HSE includes haul roads and working platforms within temporary works and requires standard-solution assumptions to be checked. HSE temporary works guidance.
Our starting point: consider TM120 for assessed heavy vehicle routes and compounds with appropriate preparation. Consider TM200 MegaDeck HD+ where a connected overlapping panel system is proposed for the duty. Compare either with a specified aluminium layout accepted for the same site. The comparison is not a site approval.
TM120, MegaDeck and a named aluminium example.
The figures below describe the products, not equal load capacities. TM200 is TrackMatz’s reference for the orange MegaDeck HD+ with MDX connections; it is one product, not two separate alternatives.
Swipe the table to compare all three systems.
| Specification | TM120 | TM200 · MegaDeck HD+ / MDX | TPA 4 m heavy-duty aluminium panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Heavy-duty HDPE panel | HDPE-based panel with internal honeycomb structure | 6063 T6 aluminium box sections |
| Overall size | 3.0 × 2.5 m × 40 mm | Approx. 4.3 × 2.3 m × 101.6 mm | 4.0 × 2.45 m; 52 mm section depth |
| Published area | 7.5 m² panel area | 7.85 m² usable connected coverage; 9.75 m² overall | 9.8 m² panel area in the cited sheet |
| Panel mass | 295 kg | 464.9 kg, approximately 465 kg | 342 kg |
| Connections | Metal straps and M16 bolts | MDX pins locking through overlapping flanges | Supplier describes integration with its 3 m and steerable systems |
| Installation basis | Machine placement and agreed connector layout | Machine placement and a model-specific MDX method | Specialist vehicle and installation method |
| Source | TM120 specifications | TM200 Rev 5 sheet | TPA sheet, v1.1, 9 June 2022 |
TPA is an illustrative named comparator, not a TrackMatz-stock claim. Its published 2022 sheet was accessible when reviewed; confirm the current supplied version. Rounded MegaDeck dimensions do not reproduce its exact published area: use 7.85 m² for initial coverage planning, then check orientation and route geometry.
What this tells you: these heavy-duty polymer panels are not hand-laid lightweight mats. MegaDeck’s larger overall footprint also includes overlapping flanges. Comparing loose panel size or kilograms per panel alone can give the wrong procurement answer.
MDX is part of the MegaDeck system.
The MDX pin fits into machined holes through the overlapping mat flanges. Its locking foot secures the joint between the mats, with visible markings showing locked and unlocked positions.
The pin has an aluminium-alloy core and an engineered polymer casing. A T-bar tool operates the lock. These are specific connection features that a buyer can inspect and include in the proposed installation method.
The connection arrangement matters alongside ground support and traffic. It does not make the route a bridge, establish a gross vehicle-weight limit or remove the need to inspect the installed surface.
Explore the MDX connection system →
Source: Signature Systems MDX specification and one-sheet supplied to TrackMatz. No installation torque, universal pin count or twist angle is specified here. See the installation guide for the planning and checking sequence.
Different connections. Different checks.
TM120Straps and M16 bolts.
The metal strap spans adjacent connection points and is secured with M16 bolts. Connector quantity, placement and checks belong in the agreed route method.
See TM120 connections →Articulated panels and concealed fixings.
Davis describes articulated box sections, concealed cross plates and bolt heads, and installation with a truck-mounted clamp for its aluminium system.
That is a different joint and handling arrangement from MDX. Ask the provider how the selected system handles alignment, damaged fixings, turns and removal.
Davis panel informationCompare the installed joint: how it is secured, how correct assembly is checked, what movement is allowed, and what maintenance is required. A photograph of a connector cannot establish comparative joint strength or installation speed.
A tonne headline is not a site working limit.
Use the same load case.
Gross vehicle mass, axle load, wheel pressure and material compression stress describe different things. A supplier’s axle figure cannot be compared directly with a pressure figure from another product sheet.
The MegaDeck HD+ sheet states 600 psi, dependent on subsurface conditions. That is pressure guidance, not permission for a particular gross vehicle weight. “TM200” is a product reference, not a 200-tonne rating.
TM120’s supplier load guidance is also conditional. See the working loads guide for the distinction between product data and the proposed operating case.
Use the actual ground evidence.
CBR is one input into assessing support. Record where and how it was established, its relevance to the proposed route, and the effect of wet or variable conditions. A soil description or photograph is not a measured CBR.
Give the reviewer the vehicle footprint, axle or wheel information, repeat passes, turning, braking, gradients and duration. Include soft edges, drainage, services and excavations.
The supplied MegaDeck HD simulation is not an HD+ vehicle acceptance table. It must not be used to invent an HD+ minimum CBR or a whole-route load limit. Understand CBR and site conditions →
For steel tracks, outriggers, piling or unsupported areas: obtain an explicit product and project assessment. Do not assume that thicker panels or a stronger-looking connector approve these duties. Davis’s published enquiry guidance excludes steel-tracked machines and bucket scraping for its system; that restriction is not a universal rule for all aluminium products. Davis operating enquiry information.
Grip and maintenance need evidence too.
Both families use profiled surfaces. Wet mud, debris, wear, drainage and vehicle movement can change how the running surface performs. Ask for the relevant test method and conditions before accepting a comparative grip claim.
HSE’s driving-surface guidance calls for routes suited to their use and supporting ground, with drainage and maintenance that preserve grip. A material name does not replace those checks. HSE driving surfaces.
For environmental comparisons, request product-specific evidence covering equivalent service, reuse, transport, maintenance and end of life. Recyclability alone does not establish which proposed route has the lower carbon footprint.
Price the complete installed route.
Begin with an accepted layout, then compare the mats, connectors, delivery, installation, inspections, relocations and removal. Different panel shapes can require different quantities to provide the same usable access.
Vehicle capacity depends on the actual tractor and trailer, available payload, axle distribution, loading arrangement and ancillary equipment. A supplier’s panel-count example is not a universal lorry capacity. DVSA guidance on vehicle weights.
Same usable layout.
Confirm route width, turns, junctions, passing areas, flange overlaps and transitions. Use the quantity guide before treating an area calculation as a mat count.
Same scope of work.
Include suitable plant, trained crew, site access, working hours, connection checks and uplift. Comparable installation speed needs comparable site and method evidence.
Same programme.
Compare the full hire period and applicable charges. If considering ownership, include storage, future use and maintenance in the hire-or-buy comparison.
There is no universal cost winner in the evidence reviewed. A matched quotation for the actual job is more useful than a material-wide saving percentage or a price per loose panel.
Show us what needs to cross the ground.
Send the full site address and postcode, marked route, photographs, dates, available ground information and vehicle schedule. Include axle or wheel data where available, movements, turning areas and offload access.
We can review TM120 and TM200 MegaDeck HD+ against the requirement. If you already have an aluminium proposal, provide its exact panel, layout, operating conditions and included services so the comparison addresses the same job.
Common comparison questions.
Is MegaDeck the same product as TM200?
TM200 is TrackMatz’s product reference for MegaDeck HD+ with MDX connections in this range. It is the orange MDX configuration. Other MegaDeck variants have different connection details and specifications.
Is composite trackway stronger than aluminium?
There is no defensible universal answer from the data reviewed. Compare specific systems under the same support, load footprint, duration, traffic and acceptance criteria. Different supplier load headlines are not a common test.
Does the MDX connection make MegaDeck suitable for any ground?
No. MDX secures overlapping mats, but ground support, the installed layout and operating conditions remain part of the assessment. It does not remove the need for preparation or a project-specific review.
Are polymer panels lighter or quicker to install?
Some small polymer mats are hand laid, but TM120 and TM200 are machine-placed systems. Their panel weights and area differ from the aluminium example here. Installation time depends on the layout, site access, lifting equipment, crew and connection method.
What CBR is needed for TM200 MegaDeck?
This guide does not establish a universal minimum CBR. The supplied HD-only simulation is not an HD+ route approval. The relevant ground evidence and proposed load case need to be assessed for the actual system and site.
Sources and scope.
Reviewed 11 September 2026. Product specifications describe what their publishers state. They are not an independently witnessed comparison of these installed systems.
- Signature Systems: supplied MegaDeck HD+ specification sheet, MDX Spec Sheet, MDX One Sheet 8-8-22, and MegaDeck HD and HD+ Technical Report. HD-only simulation limitations are retained. See the manufacturer’s product information and TrackMatz TM200 Rev 5 sheet.
- TrackMatz TM120 specification, Rev 7, checked against the current product-page data.
- TPA 4 m heavy-duty aluminium panel sheet, v1.1 dated 9 June 2022. The published version was rechecked; confirm current supply details.
- Davis aluminium panel information, including connection, handling and steel-track restrictions.
- HSE temporary works FAQs and driving-surface guidance.
- DVSA: HGV maximum weights, for the distinction between vehicle and loading limits.
Supplier illustrations show the MDX components and are not TrackMatz project photographs or a complete installation procedure. MegaDeck and MDX are trademarks of Signature Systems Group, LLC.
