A land mine pressure fuse avoidance system has a base. A tread on the base contacts
the ground around a land mine and independently distributes pressures around the
ground. The tread has plural independent closed cell foam rubber elements. Each
element is separated from adjacent elements for independently supporting only a
portion of a load on the base, while other similarly independent elements support
remaining portion of the load. The base is a cylindrical tire, a continuous track,
a shoe sole attachment or a robotic foot, and the tread is conformed to and extends
outward from the base. The independent elements of the tread are made of closed
cell foam rubber formed as a tread on the base with notches between adjacent elements
of the tread. Notches extend longitudinally along the tread, and notches extend
across the tread, forming block shaped elements extending from the base. The notches
extend into the tread for distances greater than heights above ground of clutter
and of partially buried mines or fuses. In one form the tread has independent radially
extending elements constructed of closed cell foam.