The M8A1 mat was developed to prevent this, omitting the pierced holes that exposed the soil beneath. This mat has a solid surface, strengthened by corrugations that also encouraged the drainage of rainwater. The mat size also changed to be .
To avoid exposing the soil, the M8A1 mat was designed without perforated holes. It features a solid surface with raised areas for better water drainage. Additionally, the mat's dimensions were altered to be .