Recent Advances in Matting Technology for Military Runways
Abstract
Following a historical overview of the military use of mats on runways, taxiways, aprons, and parking areas, this paper discusses common matting systems, which fall into two general categories: structural matting and foreign-object-damage (FOD) covers. Structural matting, such as AM-2, is used to increase the runway's structural support when the surface is otherwise inadequate. FOD covers, such as folded fiberglass mats (FFMs), are used on surfaces that are adequate structurally, but have a high incidence of FOD. The body of the paper focuses on recent developments at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Tyndall AFB, Florida, to improve the performance and usefulness of matting systems. The paper focuses on the pioneering efforts of AFRL in the use of Elastomer Sprayed Coating (ESC) in three major Rapid Runway Repair (RRR) areas: (1) unreinforced ESC as a FOD cover, (2) ESC with wire mesh reinforcement to create an improved FOD cover, and (3) ESC as a means of expediently anchoring FFMs. The study concluded that ESC is a viable alternative for expedient FOD covers, particularly when reinforced with aluminum wire, and that ESC is a viable alternative for expedient anchoring of FFMs. AFRL is currently pursuing improvements for structural matting which will, when completed, greatly improve RRR capability. In addition, ongoing research at AFRL on structural mat improvements is briefly discussed, including interior AM-2 mat repair techniques and a revolutionary lightweight replacement for AM-2 matting. (1 table, 7 figures, 4 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA419684
Entities
People
- Dov. Dover
- Mark Anderson
- Randall W. Brown
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory