Performance Prediction Relationships for AM2 Airfield Matting Developed from Full-Scale Accelerated Testing and Laboratory Experimentation
Abstract
The AM2 airfield matting system is used by the U.S. military for temporary, rapidly constructed airfields. Predicting the number of allowable aircraft passes across an AM2 installation is challenging because of the complex design of the joining system and the fatigue behavior of the joints. Prior to this work, the prevailing methods used to predict the performance of AM2 were based on the CBR design procedure for flexible pavements using a small number of full-scale test sections over CBRs ranging from 4 to 10 percent and simulated aircraft that are no longer in service. This report presents results from nine full-scale experiments conducted on sections of AM2 matting installed on un-stabilized soil and gravel subgrades with CBRs of 6, 10, 15, 25, and 100 percent, and provides improved relationships for predicting subgrade deformation underneath an AM2 mat installation and the associated fatigue damage when subjected to F-15E and C-17 traffic. Additionally, a laboratory fixture and procedure is described for evaluating an AM2 style joint in fatigue and relating its performance to given field conditions without requiring the expense of full-scale testing. These relationships are suitable for design and evaluation frameworks currently used for airfield pavements and matting systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1046721
Entities
People
- Timothy W. Rushing