Decks for Rapid Runway Mat Application (Postprint)

摘要

Since the 1960s the Air Force has employed an aluminum matting system, AM-2, for rapid aircraft parking ramp expansion (RPRE) in austere environments. While functional and durable, AM-2 is heavy and cumbersome to install. The restrictive weight of AM-2 and its tedious installation complicate the process of deploying aircraft. The Air Force Research laboratory (AFRL) is developing an AM-2 alternative made from composite materials. This next generation matting system, AM-X, consists of a lightweight foam core sandwiched between composite face sheets. The critical key performance parameters (KPP) for AM-X are a unit weight between 154.7 N/m2 (3.23 lbs/ft2) and 232.7 N/m2 (4.86 lbs/ft2), and a useful life requirement between 1500 and 1000 passes by a tire carrying a 133,733N (30,000 lb) load creating a surface pressure of 241.9N/cm2 (350 psi) over a soil with a California Bearing Ration (CBR) value of 6 with no more than 3.81cm (1.5 in) deflection in the panel. In addition, the panel size is also critical for transportability requirements enabling the use of the standard 463L pallet. Successful proof-of-concept tests were completed in June 2003 demonstrating that the panel deflection requirement can be met. Design iterations focusing on optimizing the panel properties and geometries with respect to deflection are complete. Further mat tests took place in August 2005, June 2006 and September 2006. Results of the design iterations, full scale field testing, and a comparison of design vs. actual deflection of the panels will be reported.