Project Title

CRREL Heavy Weight Deflectometers (HWD) Testing

Summary

Event Number:
T-948-M
NSF Agreement

Program Director:
Ms. Carla Haroz

ASC POC/Implementer:
Matthew Erickson / Paul Duit

Principal Investigator(s)

Ms. Renee Melendy
Renee.D.Melendy@usace.army.mil
US Army Cold Regions Research & Engineering Lab

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station
Research Locations: McMurdo Station

Description

Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) activities encompass engineering and basic research in support of a variety of projects at both McMurdo and South Pole Stations. The project will use a combination of existing data and proposed data on snow pavements to establish limits for Phoenix runway for C-17, B757, A319, and LC-130 aircraft in terms of heavy-falling weight deflectometer (HWD) strength parameters. Proposed data collection will be completed through a CRREL HWD strength survey in conjunction with a scheduled Russian Snow Penetrometer (RSP) survey. Data analysis and test/verify correlation from falling weight to RSP data will be used to provide NSF a technical report detailing work performed and operational limits for aircraft identified above utilizing the HWD. Additionally, we will determine new deflection data and minimums/maximums for the C-17, B757, A319, and LC-130 airframes.

Field Season Overview

ANT-23-32: Application of Conventional Pavement Strength Characterization to Phoenix Runway. The major tasks include the following: - Deploy HWD to Antarctica. - Perform testing on Phoenix Runway alongside Russian Snow Penetrometer (RSP) and Core density testing (seven days of field testing at Phoenix Runway; time for field testing is flexible based on availability on the ice). - Perform data analysis on the correlation between RSP and HWD to determine safe operating standards and requirements for C-17, B757, A319, and LC-130 aircraft based upon HWD data results. - Provide a new performance/strength monitoring procedure for the Phoenix Runway that increases safety and reliability while reducing time to collect data, inaccuracy associated with RSP, and providing immediate determination from testing if safe or not safe to operate various aircraft on the runway at that time.

Deploying Team Members