Session: 02-03-01: Studies in Aerospace Structural Dynamics

Paper Number: 107143

107143 - Engineered Material Arresting Systems Based on the Use of Rubber 

Nowadays, the civil aviation industry is constantly growing as response to the increasing demands of domestic and international flights. Therefore, the concern for passengers’ safety continues to remain the most significant priority in order to prevent any kind of injuries. The majority of aviation accidents occur mostly during take-off and landing, in particular overrunning the runway during the landing represents a serious threat for the passengers.  The prevention of potential damage of commercial aircrafts that overrun the runway has been introduced by the International Civil Aviation Organization which requires a Runway Safety Area (RSA). This area is typically 500 feet wide and extends 1000 feet beyond the normal runway pavement so that the airplane can be stopped safely with no structural damage of fuselage and no injury of its occupants. However, many airports have several obstacles due to the presence of buildings, water or other geographic features, therefore, the standard requirement for the RSA cannot be achieved. For these cases, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends the relevant airports to install an airplane arrestor system as a remedial measure, the most common is based on passive systems such as Engineering Material Arresting System (EMAS). These systems use a pavement made up of soft concrete which will fracture by interacting with the airplane wheels so that the airplane will be stopped. Such an EMAS has to be restored every time that the airplane is overrunning the runway. A much more efficient way to arrest the airplane may use EMAS based on rubber materials, which can develop the necessary drag force thanks to the large elastic track left by the aircraft wheel on the pavement. This work wants to investigate the use of such rubber-based materials by means of Finite Element Method (FEM) dynamic simulations where the interaction between the airplane tires and the pavement is studied in order to determine the level of deceleration induced on the airplane and the effectiveness of this EMAS. 

Presenting Author: Daniele Dipasquale Department of Aeronautical Engineering, International Academy of Aviation Industry King Mongkut's Institute of Technology LatKrabang

Presenting Author Biography: I have been teaching at KMITL (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology LadKrabang) in Bangkok for 5 years in the Aeronautical Department and my main research area is the prediction of dynamic crack propagation in structural materials using the novel nonlocal theory of continuum called Peridynamics; other research areas are the topology optimization of structures and the development of new arresting systems in airports.

Authors:

Daniele Dipasquale Department of Aeronautical Engineering, International Academy of Aviation Industry King Mongkut's Institute of Technology LatKrabang
Siamak Khosroshahi School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London
Teo Mudric Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka
Prasert Prapamonthon Department of Aeronautical Engineering, International Academy of Aviation Industry King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
Soemsak Yooyen Department of Aeronautical Engineering, International Academy of Aviation Industry, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang