AM2 Brickwork Pattern Evaluation with Refurbished Matting
Abstract
The U.S. Marine Corps established different lay patterns to assemble AM2 mat expanses that can be used to form aircraft operating surfaces. The brickwork configuration is the traditional installation pattern and has proven to provide improved load carrying capability of the system. For several years, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center conducted full-scale testing of the brickwork pattern using new AM2 Mod 5 matting acquired directly from the manufacturer. Several years ago, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) implemented a refurbishment program to restore AM2 panels after these have been in service in an effort to reduce frequent large procurements of new AM2 Mod 5. Since AM2 is made from aluminum and has an indefinite service life, many earlier versions, such as two-piece and Mod 4, still remain in the fleet and can be found in refurbished bundles. The efforts of the test program discussed in this report focused on evaluating an AM2 surface that combined both new AM2 Mod 5 panels and AM2 refurbished panels to provide insight on the life expectancy of refurbished panels as compared to new panels. In addition, NAVAIR subgrade void criteria were tested to determine the effect a voided subgrade will have on the structural integrity of AM2. This report provides test results for each evaluation and discussions comparing their performance to previous tests conducted under similar conditions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA620910
Entities
People
- Jeb S. Tingle
- Lyan Garcia
- Timothy W. Rushing
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center