ICT Director Collaborates with Italian Researchers during Airport Instrumentation Project
In this project, a section of the newly constructed takeoff/landing part of the pavement is being heavily instrumented with linear vertical deformation transformers (LVDTs) to measure vertical deflection in the subgrade, pressure cells to measure vertical pressure, and LVDTs in three dimensions in the granular base layer to measure 3D deformations. On top of the granular layer, pressure cells and hot-mix asphalt strain gauges are installed to measure longitudinal and transverse strains at different levels within the hot-mix asphalt. Pavement layer moisture and temperature are measured by time domain reflectometers and in-house built thermocouples, respectively. An IOTech data acquisition system is being used to collect the data and placed in a bunker beneath the ground. The hot-mix asphalt wearing surface layer is expected to be placed in December 2008.
Prof. Al-Qadi worked with Italian students, researchers, and professors in developing the instrumentation plans and the installation of the instruments. Prof. M. Coni and Dr. S. Portas are leading the research project at that university. The runway was designed by A. Grazietti and M. Rrodriguez of SOGAER and being constructed by I. Melis. Help was also provided by Dr. S. Lahouar of Institut Suprieur des Sciences Appliques et de Technologie de Sousse. Prof. Al-Qadi is excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with Italian students and professors in such a hands-on project. It was a major learning experience for all of the students who were actively involved in the process.
This project is unique because the instrumented runway will be able to provide new measurements that have not been collected from runway pavements. The runway is expected to be open for airplane traffic in early 2009.
