Fiberglass-Reinforced Rigid Polyurethane Expedient Pavement Subject to Simulated F-4 Aircraft Traffic

摘要

A multipurpose expedient paving system is being developed to enable more rapid construction of expeditionary airfields by Marine Corps forces engaged in an amphibious landing. Previous research has resulted in a conceptual pavement, FIBERMAT, which consists of a facing of fiberglass-reinforced polyester resin (FRP) bonded to a core of fiberglass-reinforced rigid polyurethane foam. FIBERMAT has been subjected to a series of laboratory tests to define response to stress fatigue and environmental cycling. A similar structural sandwich of FRP and rigid polyurethane foam has been tested and found to meet F-4 aircraft static load, tailhook impact, and engine exhaust blast requirements. This report documents the results of a traffic test conducted on a section of FIBERMAT having a 5-inch-thick fiberglass-reinforced foam core and a 1/4-inch-thick FRP facing. Distributed traffic was applied to the test section with a load cart which simulated a main gear of an F-4 aircraft. The cart was equipped with a 30-7.7, 18-ply-rating tire inflated to 265 psi and loaded to 27,000 pounds. The first failure within the test section was recorded at 136 coverages (1,306 passes) of the load cart, and the entire test section was considered failed at 310 coverages (2,141 passes). (Author)