Smart airport pavement instrumentation and health monitoring

Realistic characterization of pavement layer properties and responses under in-situ field conditions is critical for accurate airport pavement life predictions, planning pavement management activities as well as for calibration and validation of mechanistic-based pavement response prediction models. The recent advancements in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensor (MEMS)/Nano-Electro-Mechanical Sensor (NEMS) technologies and wireless sensor networks combined with efficient energy scavenging paradigms provide opportunities for long-term, continuous, real-time response measurement and health monitoring of transportation infrastructure systems. This paper presents a summary review of some recent studies that have focused on the development of advanced smart sensing and monitoring systems for highway pavement system with potential applications for long-term airport pavement health monitoring. Some examples of these potential applications include: the use of wireless Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for determining thermal gradients in pavement layers; self-powered MEMS/NEMS multifunction sensor system capable of real-time, remote monitoring of localized strain, temperature and moisture content in airport pavement that will eventually prevent catastrophic failures such as blow-ups on runways during heat waves

Health monitoring of pavement systems using smart sensing technologies

Pavement undergoes a process of deterioration resulting from repeated traffic and/or environmental loading. By detecting pavement distress and damage early enough, it is possible for transportation agencies to develop more effective pavement maintenance and rehabilitation programs and thereby produce significant cost and time saving. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has been conceived as a systematic method for assessing the structural state of pavement infrastructure systems and documenting their condition. Over the past several years, this process has traditionally been accomplished through the use of wired sensors embedded in bridge and highway pavement. However, the use of wired sensors has limitations for long-term SHM and presents other associated cost and safety concerns. Recently, Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Nano-Electromechanical Systems (NEMS) have emerged as advanced/smart-sensing technologies with potential for cost-effective and long-term SHM. To this effect, a study has thus been initiated to evaluate the off-the-shelf MEMS sensors and wireless sensors, identify their limitations, and demonstrate how the acquired sensor data can be utilized to monitor and assess concrete pavement behavior. The feasibility of implementing a wireless communication system into a MEMS sensor was also investigated. Off-the-shelf MEMS sensors and wireless sensors were deployed in a newly constructed concrete highway pavement. During the monitoring period, the temperature, moisture, and strain profiles were obtained and analyzed. The monitored data captured the effects of daily and seasonal weather changes on concrete pavement, especially, early-age curling and warping behavior of concrete pavement. These sensors, however, presented issues for long-term operation, so to improve performance, a ZigBee protocol-based wireless communication system was implemented for the MEMS sensors. By synthesizing knowledge and experience gained from literature review, field demonstrations, and implementation of wireless systems, issues associated with sensor selection, sensor installation, sensor packaging to prevent damage from road construction, and monitoring for concrete pavement SHM are summarized. The requirements for achieving Smart Pavement SHM are then explored to develop a conceptual design of smart health monitoring of both highway and airport pavement systems for next-generation pavement SHM. A cost evaluation was also performed for traditional as well as MEMS sensors and other potential smart technologies for SHM

Adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in airports -- A systematic literature review

Airports have been constantly evolving and adopting digital technologies to improve operational efficiency, enhance passenger experience, generate ancillary revenues and boost capacity from existing infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has also challenged airports and aviation stakeholders alike to adapt and manage new operational challenges such as facilitating a contactless travel experience and ensuring business continuity. Digitalisation using Industry 4.0 technologies offers opportunities for airports to address short-term challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic while also preparing for future long-term challenges that ensue the crisis. Through a systematic literature review of 102 relevant articles, we discuss the current state of adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in airports, the associated challenges as well as future research directions. The results of this review suggest that the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies is slowly gaining traction within the airport environment, and shall continue to remain relevant in the digital transformation journeys in developing future airports

1995 BRAC Commission

JCSG UPT - Book 4 - Data Call, 22 July 1994; Book 5 - JCSG Military Value Analysis, UPT, 4 April 1994. Box 119, L-045

Research and Design of an Airfield Runway FOD Detection System Based on WSN

Foreign object debris (FOD) would potentially cause huge damage when it appears on the airport runway, so the FOD surveillance system is one of the essential protectors for airplane's safety now. This paper introduces a designed method of airport runway FOD detection system based on WSN, analyzes function of various image acquisition sensors, and introduces FOD image analysis algorithm. Finally WSN data fusion technology is used to analyze the FOD image