Airport Runway Research Articles

All-weather airport runway foreign object detection based on mixed attention

Foreign object detection on airport runways plays a vital role in the safe takeoff and landing of aircraft. However, the existing detection algorithms have the phenomenon of missed detection and false detection under different lighting and weather runway environments. Therefore, a YOLOv5 foreign object detection algorithm suitable for all-weather airport runway environment is proposed. Aiming at the problem of a certain degree of feature loss in the pooling process of the original network, a cross-stage local spatial pyramid pooling module is designed, which can adaptively extract deep feature semantic information and enhance the multi-scale representation ability of the network; a hybrid attention module is introduced in the feature fusion part, and the channel and spatial feature weights are redistributed to strengthen the feature difference between foreign objects and irrelevant background elements; in view of the fact that small foreign objects are difficult to identify and locate, resulting in missed detection, a multi-scale positioning loss function is designed, and the detection ability of small targets is improved by adding similarity measurement; the optimized training strategy is used to train the MS-FOD dataset. Experimental results show that the improved algorithm achieves 95.83%mAP and Recall, which are respectively improved 94.31% by and 15.69% compared with the original YOLOv5 3.68% , and the detection speed is 68 frames /s , which meets the needs of real-time foreign object detection. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for foreign object detection on airport runways is effectively verified.

Rapid and environmentally friendly reconstruction of airport runways under combined laser and liquid energy fields: Ushering a new era of low-carbon and efficient rubber removal in the aviation industry

When the aircraft takes off or lands, the tread rubber melts and adheres to the airport runway and its embedded ground lights, forming black pavement rubber marks, affecting the smoothness of the pavement, reducing the lighting degree and friction coefficient of the pavement, and directly affecting the safety of the aircraft take-off and landing. There are many shortcomings in the standard rubber removal methods. The multi-energy field composite laser cleaning technology comprehensively utilizes the laser field and auxiliary hydrodynamic field. It leverages the high-efficiency advantages of laser processing and avoids the shortcomings of its thermal energy surplus, achieving efficient, accurate, and green material removal. Based on this, this article presents for the first time the composite energy-field laser cleaning process mechanism and related performance of rubber mud layer from the surface of cement/asphalt runway and embedded grounding light cover (aluminum alloy)/light window (tempered glass). Pulse laser single energy-field cleaning is suitable for removing rubber marks from cement runways, grounding lamp covers, and light window surfaces. The cleaning mechanism is divided into two types based on the substrate: ablation and thermal stress peeling. Composite energy-field laser cleaning is suitable for removing rubber marks from asphalt runway surfaces, and the phase explosion of the liquid film is the cleaning mechanism. Under appropriate process parameters, laser cleaning can improve the runway's skid resistance, enhance the grounding light cover's corrosion resistance, and increase the grounding light window's transparency. This study can provide a reference for the laser cleaning behavior of different materials and solve the problem of rubber removal on international civil aviation airport pavement, promoting the construction of "safe, green, and smart" airports.

Advanced concrete pavement internal crack monitoring using wave response variation and deep learning

This paper presents an in-depth investigation into internal crack monitoring in concrete pavement through the application of wave response variation (WRV) and deep learning techniques. The study examines wave scattering in both homogeneous (HM) and inhomogeneous (IHM) media, validating WRV by analyzing forward scattering due to interval vertical cracks through laboratory tests and analytical solutions. It compares various laboratory tests with experimental and finite element (FE) results. The analysis reveals that shallower cracks result in peaks at lower impulse frequencies on the WRV curve, while deeper cracks correspond to peaks at higher frequencies, as observed from both forward and incident waves. The study also finds that the complexity of IHM, influenced by random aggregate size and distribution, significantly affects WRV patterns, with larger aggregates causing greater energy attenuation in forward waves compared to smaller aggregates. Machine learning (ML) techniques are employed to predict cracks and clarify the impact of aggregate information on WRV. This research establishes a framework for understanding internal damage in IHM using ML technology. This study enables effective monitoring of internal vertical cracks, such as reflective cracks in bridge decks, pavements, and airport runways.

Visual Enhancement of Aerial Flight in High Plateau Low Visibility Conditions

A method for automatic detection of airport runways in low visibility, forward and downward looking aerial airport images is proposed. Firstly, the recursive Otsu segmentation method is used to extract the main contour of the airport from the complex background; then the morphological filtering is performed by using the morphology-based open and swell operations, the open operation is used to filter out the isolated noise points and the swell operation is used to connect the segmented airport components into a complete whole; finally, the morphological filtered image is subjected to the region growth to localize the main runway of the airport. Finally, the morphology filtered image is processed to localize the main airport runway by its region growth. It is proved that this method can quickly and accurately detect and localize the main and auxiliary runways of airports in low visibility and forward and downward looking aerial images of airports.

Model test on dynamic response of coral sand in island dredging airport under wave, tidal and aircraft landing load

The construction of an island airport on a coral reef will inevitably encounter wave, tidal and aircraft takeoff and landing loads. To study the dynamic response of the coral sand island airport under these loads, a 1:50 laboratory model test was conducted with Meiji Reef Airport as the engineering background. The model test studied the pore water pressure characteristics of the coral sand strata beneath the airport runway under wave loads with different wave heights, tidal loads with different tidal heights, and aircraft impact loads with different cyclic loading times. Additionally, the displacement characteristics of the coral sand strata beneath the airport runway under the aircraft impact loads with different cyclic loading times were also studied. The results show that the pore water pressure of coral sand strata under the airport runway decreases with the increasing offshore distance under the wave and tidal loads. The change of wave height has little influence on the pore water pressure of coral sand strata, while the change of tidal water level has a significant effect on it. As the number of aircraft impact load cycles increases, the cumulative excess pore pressure in the coral sand strata under the airport runway no longer increases and plastic deformation occurs. The research can provide a reference for the runway foundation treatment of the island airport under construction and planning.

Analysis and Design of an Airborne-Dangled Monopole-Antenna Symmetric Remote-Sensing Radiation Source for Airport Runway Monitoring

Traditional methods for monitoring the foundation settlement of airport runways predominantly employ equipment such as leveling instruments, total stations, layered settlement instruments, magnetic ring settlement instruments, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and synthetic aperture radar. These methods suffer from low automation levels, are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and can significantly disrupt airport operations. An alternative electromagnetic detection technique, Controlled Source Audio-Frequency Magnetotellurics (CSAMT), offers deep-depth detection capabilities. However, CSAMT faces significant challenges, particularly in generating high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) signals in the far-field region (FfR). Traditional CSAMT utilizes grounded horizontal dipoles (GHDs), which radiate symmetric beams. Due to the low directivity of GHDs, only a small fraction of the radiated energy is effectively utilized in FfR observations. Enhancing the SNR in FfR typically requires either reducing the transceiving distance or increasing the transmitting power, both of which introduce substantial complications. This paper proposes an airborne-dangled monopole-antenna symmetric remote-sensing radiation source for airport runway monitoring, which replaces the conventional GHD. The analytical, simulation, and experimental verification results indicate that the energy required by the airborne-dangled symmetric source to generate the same electric field amplitude in the FfR is only one-third of that needed by traditional CSAMT. This results in significant energy savings and reduced emissions, underscoring the advantages of the airborne-dangled monopole-antenna symmetric source in enhancing energy efficiency for CSAMT. The theoretical analysis, simulations, and experimental results consistently verify the validity and efficacy of the proposed airborne-dangled monopole-antenna symmetric remote-sensing radiation source in CSAMT. This innovative approach holds substantial promise for airport runway monitoring, offering a more efficient and less intrusive solution compared to traditional methods.

Nighttime measurement errors in the runway visual range and optimization of runway lighting systems

Considering that existing theories consider runway lights as markers, neglecting their roles as lighting devices that increase sky background luminance and thus affect runway visual range (RVR) measurements, the actual values of sky background luminance observed by pilots during take-off are calculated and compared with the instrumental RVR measurements in this paper. The RVR measurement errors due to the installation positions of these devices are subsequently analysed. Furthermore, the impacts of different runway light types and positions on sky background luminance are explored, leading to the proposal of an optimized runway lighting scheme. The results show that the representation of sky background luminance sensor data in RVR measurement systems for nighttime airport runways is limited. A deviation of over 90% exists between the sky background luminance of the runway entrance and the RVR measurement equipment location, resulting in a relative error in RVR measurements of over 18%. The centreline and entrance lights contribute significantly to the total sky background luminance. Lights closer to the observer contribute more luminance. In the second proposed scheme, modifying the lighting range to 600 m yields the highest RVR improvement, with an optimization magnitude of over 5% across all visibility ranges.

OPTIONS SELECTION AND IMPACT STUDY OF INTERCITY RAILWAY TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION UNDER AIRPORT INTERZONE

The selection of tunnel construction program for intercity railroad tunnel under the airport must consider the limitations of environmental conditions and the scale of tunnel construction, and the impact of construction on the airport must be controlled within safe limits. Combined with the intercity rail transit tunnel project through the airport area surrounding environment and engineering geological conditions, the use of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and other methods, comprehensive navigation, technology, construction period, cost, construction impacts and other aspects of the comparative analysis of the tunnel construction method of open excavation method and shield method, the results show that: (1) Due to the soft soil and groundwater in the tunnel excavation area, the risk of open excavation is greater, while the shield method is more suitable for longer silty soil tunnels without affecting the navigation, accordingly, the shield tunnel construction is more suitable for the tunnel construction under the airport. (2) Open excavation method has the shortest construction period to meet the requirements of rail transit, the unit cost is between 1 and 2 shield machines, and the total cost is close to 2 shield machines; for lower total cost, choose 1 shield machine, for shortening the construction period, choose 2 shield machines. (3) The maximum ground settlement caused by shield tunneling construction is 20mm, the maximum vertical differential settlement perpendicular to the tunnel is 2.8cm, and the maximum differential settlement is 0.93 ‰. On the one hand, it meets the requirements of airport settlement control, and on the other hand, it has little impact on the vertical connecting road and west station apron, and will not affect the opening of the airport runway and the operation of the terminal.

Investigation of The Use of Nano Powder On Roller Compressible Fibrous Concrete Roads

Despite the fact that our country's road network is inferior to that of industrialized countries, the volume of motor traffic is increasing. Thus, optimal solutions are imperative during both project and construction phases of highway investments. Concrete superstructures offer an alternative to flexible superstructures in various regions globally, including airport runways, warehouses, urban roads, streets, highways and industrial buildings. The objective of this study was to enhance the compressive and flexural strength of concrete and provide resistance against abrasion. To achieve this, a roller compressible concrete (RCC) mixture design was developed by incorporating basalt fiber, nano TiO2, and nano Fe2O3 additives. The experimental results were subjected to statistical analysis via the technique of analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings of the study indicated that the strength performance of the optimal RCC mixture design reinforced with nano powder and fibers was superior to that of conventional concrete. Upon examination on a material basis, it was determined that the compressive strength exhibited an increase when the water/binder ratio was utilised within the range of 0.38–0.4. As the utilisation of nano-Fe2O3 and basalt fiber materials increased, their compressive strength exhibited a corresponding enhancement. The incorporation of basalt fiber into the composite material resulted in an increase in flexural strength at all ratios where it was utilised. It can be concluded that basalt fiber has the greatest potential for enhancing flexural strength. The optimal water-to-binder ratio for flexural properties is between 0.34 and 0.38. While nano powders can have a positive impact, they cannot achieve the maximum level of strength. For improving abrasion resistance, it was established that reducing the water/cement ratio, using fly ash, basalt fiber, and nano Fe2O3 in the mixture decreased abrasion. However, the usage of nano TiO2 did not have a significant positive effect. The material with the least effect on compressive, flexural and abrasion resistance was identified as nano TiO2. When materials other than nano TiO2 are utilised in accordance with the established optimal mixture calculation, the durability of the resulting RCC road will reach the requisite standard.

Comparative Study on Mechanical Response in Rigid Pavement Structures of Static and Dynamic Finite Element Models

The safety of airport runways is important to guarantee aircraft taking-off, landing, and taxiing, and the comparison of the mechanical response of pavement structures under dynamic and static loading by LS-DYNA has rarely been studied. The purpose of this work is to separate two analysis methods to investigate the mechanical response of rigid airport pavements. Firstly, a tire–road coupling model of an airfield was established to evaluate the suitability of dynamic and static analyses. Then, the effects of landing pitch angles, sinking speeds, and tire pressures on the effective stress, effective strain, and z-displacement of the runway were investigated for both dynamic and static analysis. Finally, the significance of influence factors was analyzed by regression analysis in Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). The results indicated that the effective stress, effective strain, and z-displacement of the runway increased with a decrease in the landing pitch angle, which also increased with an increase in the sinking speed and tire pressure. It was demonstrated that the difference in pavement mechanical response between dynamic and static analyses progressively widened at high tire pressure and sinking speed. In other words, the static analysis method can be adopted to assess the dynamic mechanical behavior when the landing pitch angle is large and the tire pressure is small. Among the various factors of mechanical response, the effect of tire pressure was the most obvious, followed by sinking speed and landing pitch angle. The work proposes a new approach to understanding the mechanical behavior of runways under complicated and varied conditions, evaluates the applicability of the dynamic and static mechanical analysis methods, identifies key factors in the dynamic and static mechanical analysis of rigid runways, and provides technical support for improving and maintaining the impact resistance of pavement facilities.

Multi-parameter information detection of aircraft taxiing on an airport runway based on an ultra-weak FBG sensing array

Tracking the moving state and analyzing the distribution feature of an aircraft taxiing on the pavement are crucial for runway safety management. One challenge is to provide a reliable methodology that would enable such needs to be addressed in long-distance range runway with high sensitivity and spatial resolution. This paper proposed a novel monitoring approach for acquiring multi-parameter information of aircraft taxiing on airport runway based on distributed vibration detected by ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing array. For an actual engineering equipped with the smart runway system, the ultra-weak FBG sensing technology was applied to collect the distributed vibration responses of taxiing aircraft in takeoff and landing stages. The monitoring data of the vibration sensing optical cables beneath the entire pavement were directly utilized to evaluate the identification feasibility and effectiveness of taxiing speed and position, landing distribution, and taxiing acceleration and distance based on samples of five representative aircraft types. The results indicated that the speed, position, aiming point offset, acceleration changes and probability distribution of the taxiing distance can be revealed based on actual measurements concerning the distribution of vibration intensity with respect to space and time. Moreover, the analysis demonstrated that the experimental results based on ultra-weak FBG sensing array was able to account for the characteristic of different aircraft types participating in the study and the current operating conditions of the airport.

VALNet: Vision-Based Autonomous Landing with Airport Runway Instance Segmentation

VALNet: Vision-Based Autonomous Landing with Airport Runway Instance Segmentation

Analysis of Handling Flooding on Airport Runways

The existing drainage conditions on the runway at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport have decreased in service function due to the lack of drainage channel capacity so that it cannot accommodate rainwater, this causes water to invalidate the runway of Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. This drainage system analysis refers to Runway drainage. Hydrological analysis is carried out to obtain the planned flood discharge using HEC-HMS Software, Normal Distribution, Gumbel Distribution, Log Normal Distribution and Log Pearson Type III Distribution. Hydraulics analysis is carried out to calculate the capacity of existing channels using EPA-SWMM 5.1 Software. The capacity of existing drainage channels based on analysis using EPA-SWMM 5.1 Software there are 5 channels out of 11 channels that have an existing discharge smaller than the planned flood discharge. The five channels are C3, C4, C5, CD01 and CD02. The alternative flood inundation management system used in this problem is a detention pond with a pump. The dimensions of the planned detention pond measuring 120m x 114m x 3.5m along with the use of a 2m3/sec pump has a capacity of 47880 m3. Therefore, the flood volume that needs to be accommodated < the storage volume of the pond (46199 m3 < 47880 m3).

Development of the Wind Direction Indicator Display as a Learning Media for Visual Landing Aid Systems

In this study, we designed a wind direction indicator display as a learning medium to help cadets understand how the equipment works. Wind direction indicators are used as a navigation tool for pilots to determine landing direction on airport runways. This study was conducted at the Palembang Aviation Polytechnic using mixed methods, namely research and development and quantitative. The object of the research is cadets of the airport engineering technology study program. Determining whether there are differences in the results or not, by using paired t test. The study results show that the cadets are very enthusiastic in learning and developing these tools, as well as increasing their knowledge and competence in the field of visual landing aids at airports. With this learning media, cadets can better understand how it works. By increasing the competency of cadets, it is hoped that it can support aviation safety in Indonesia.

Evaluating Cumulative Damage Factor (CDF) of 20 Brazilian Airfield Pavement structures using FAARFIELD and BAKFAA

There is a growing concern regarding the structural integrity of Brazilian airport pavements. This concern arises from the fact that they were originally designed to accommodate lighter aircraft during an era of lower traffic. However, with the substantial increase in air traffic and the introduction of heavier aircraft, compounded by the aging infrastructure predominantly built between the 1950s and 1970s, these pavements are now confronted with significant challenges. This research involves collecting data on aircraft characteristics, traffic patterns, and pavement layer properties to update information on the pavement life service of existing Brazilian airfield pavements. Research involves the analysis of determine the Cumulative Damage Factor (CDF) of 20 Brazilian airport runways pavement. Backanalysis of deflection basins obtained from Heavy Weight Deflectometer (HWD) tests is conducted using the BAKFAA software. The FAARFIELD software is then employed to calculate the CDF, incorporating the latest information on aircraft mix and pavement conditions. The study reveals that 65% of the analyzed airport pavements consist of 4 structural layers, with 50% of the structures composed of cement-treated base course layers. Notably, 11 airports exhibit a CDF less than 0.01, suggesting potential overdesigned of pavements for existing aircraft movement. Boa Vista Airport/RR (SBBV) stands out with a CDF of 1.5, prompting recommendations for actions to mitigate pavement degradation. The findings offer valuable insights for future actions, maintenance strategies, and recommendations for the construction of new airports.

Preventive Maintenance Decision-Making Optimization Method for Airport Runway Composite Pavements

Long-term preventive maintenance planning using finite annual budgets is vital for maintaining the service performance of airport runway composite pavements. Using the pavement condition index (PCI) to quantify composite pavement performance, this study investigated the PCI deterioration tendencies of middle runways, terminal runways, and taxiways and developed prediction models related to structural thickness and air traffic. Performance jump (PJ) and deterioration rate reduction (DRR) were used to measure maintenance benefits. Based on 112 composite pavement sections in the Long-term Pavement Performance Program, this study analyzed the influences of five typical preventive maintenance technologies on PJ, DRR, and PCI deterioration rates. The logarithmic regression relationship between PJ and PCI was obtained. For sections treated with crack sealing and crack filling, the DRR was nearly 0. For sections treated with fog seal, thin HMA overlay, and hot-mix recycled AC, the DRR was 0.2, 0.7, and 0.8, respectively. To solve the multi-objective maintenance problem, this study proposed a decision-making optimization method based on dynamic programming, and the solution algorithm was optimized, which was applied in a five-year maintenance plan. Considering different PCI deterioration tendencies of airport regions, as well as PJ, DRR, and costs of maintenance technologies, the preventive maintenance decision-making optimization method meets performance and financial requirements sufficiently.

Wind Shear and Aircraft Aborted Landings: A Deep Learning Perspective for Prediction and Analysis

In civil aviation, severe weather conditions such as strong wind shear, crosswinds, and thunderstorms near airport runways often compel pilots to abort landings to ensure flight safety. While aborted landings due to wind shear are not common, they occur under specific environmental and situational circumstances. This research aims to accurately predict aircraft aborted landings using three advanced deep learning techniques: the conventional deep neural network (DNN), the deep and cross network (DCN), and the wide and deep network (WDN). These models are supplemented by various data augmentation methods, including the Synthetic Minority Over-Sampling Technique (SMOTE), KMeans-SMOTE, and Borderline-SMOTE, to correct the imbalance in pilot report data. Bayesian optimization was utilized to fine-tune the models for optimal predictive accuracy. The effectiveness of these models was assessed through metrics including sensitivity, precision, F1-score, and the Matthew Correlation Coefficient. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) algorithm was then applied to the most effective models to interpret their results and identify key factors, revealing that the intensity of wind shear, specific runways like 07R, and the vertical distance of wind shear from the runway (within 700 feet above runway level) were significant factors. The results of this research provide valuable insights to civil aviation experts, potentially revolutionizing safety protocols for managing aborted landings under adverse weather conditions, thereby improving overall airport efficiency and safety.

Study on the formation mechanism and preventive measure of pot cover effect for subgrade in seasonal frozen soil area under freeze–thaw cycles

AbstractThe presence of an impervious cover layer inhibits the free evaporation of moisture in the soil during seasonal freeze–thaw cycles, leading to a phenomenon known as the pot cover effect. This can result in severe frost heave issues in airport runways, highway subgrades, railway subgrades, and other similar infrastructure. In this study, a disease investigation was conducted at a gas transmission station situated in an area with seasonally frozen soil. Meanwhile, the causes of moisture accumulation and frost heave in the lower part of concrete pavement slabs were analyzed. A coupled water–vapor–heat model for unsaturated frozen soil is then established to analyze the formation mechanism of the pot cover effect in the subgrade. Finally, the preventive effect of the impervious layer on moisture migration in the pot cover effect was analyzed. The results indicate that the pot cover effect causes a significant accumulation of moisture beneath the concrete pavement at the gas transmission station, resulting in a moisture content increase of 5%–35%. During the freezing period, the vapor of shallow soil migrates upward, while the liquid water remains unchanged. During the melting period, both vapor and liquid water migrate downward. The laying of the impervious layer can prevent moisture migration of the pot cover effect. When the impervious layer is placed on the freezing front (0°C), the prevention effect of the pot cover effect is the best.

AI‐enabled airport runway pavement distress detection using dashcam imagery

AbstractMaintaining airport runways is crucial for safety and efficiency, yet traditional monitoring relies on manual inspections, prone to time consumption and inaccuracy. This study pioneers the utilization of low‐cost dashcam imagery for the detection and geolocation of airport runway pavement distresses, employing novel deep‐learning frameworks. A significant contribution of our work is the creation of the first public dataset specifically designed for this purpose, addressing a critical gap in the field. This dataset, enriched with diverse distress types under various environmental conditions, enables the development of an automated, cost‐effective method that substantially enhances airport maintenance operations. Leveraging low‐cost dashcam technology in this unique scenario, our approach demonstrates remarkable potential in improving the efficiency and safety of airport runway inspections, offering a scalable solution for infrastructure management. Our findings underscore the benefits of integrating advanced imaging and artificial intelligence technologies, paving the way for advancements in airport maintenance practices.

Particle gradation effects on creep characteristics and the underlying mechanism in calcareous sand

Calcareous sand, a foundation material of marine origin, is an indispensable component in marine construction and has found extensive applications in building foundations and airport runways. The complex nature of the marine environment and the unique characteristics of calcareous sand present significant challenges for ensuring the stability and durability of engineering structures. To address these challenges, multistage loading triaxial creep tests were conducted on calcareous sands with different particle gradations to analyze their creep characteristics and underlying mechanisms. The result shows that the amount of ultimate axial creep strain is positively correlated with deviatoric stress but negatively correlated with the coefficient of uniformity (Cu). The creep process demonstrates a significant creep structure effect, characterized by creep rate lag and creep failure lag. The volumetric creep strain-time relationship at different creep stress ratios can be classified into three types. When the creep stress ratio is less than the stress ratio at the dilative point, the sample is first compacted followed by dilatancy; when the creep stress ratio is equal to the stress ratio at the dilative point, only compaction is obtained; as the creep stress ratio becomes larger than the stress ratio at the dilative point, pure dilatancy is found. The particle crushing modes and creep mechanisms of calcareous sand are also examined through meso-observations. It is found that the particle crushing modes can be categorized into three distinct types: grinding, angular breakage, and whole particle breakage. The particle gradation not only impacts the primary particle crushing mode but also governs the movement of particles and fragments, thereby influencing the occurrence of creep deformation. Specifically, a smaller Cu value corresponds to a higher fragmentation rate of the specimen, an increased number of overall crushing and angular fractures, a larger space for fragment migration after crushing, and eventually a greater creep deformation. Finally, a modified Burgers model is proposed based on the test results, which can effectively capture the creep deformation in the presence of creep structure effects and creep failure stages.