Evaluation of Lightweight Airfield Matting for the AMX Program

Abstract

Airfield matting systems are used for the expedient construction of temporary airfields and the expansion of existing airfields to provide temporary airfield operating surfaces for military aircraft. The primary airfield matting system used by the U.S. Military is the AM2 airfield matting system. Although the AM2 matting system has proved to be successful for supporting modern aircraft, it is difficult to transport by air because of its size and weight. The AMX program was initiated by the U.S. Air Force to identify and evaluate new, lightweight airfield mat designs optimized for C-17 transport. Three commercially available matting systems of varying materials and designs were evaluated through the construction of a full-scale test section to determine their effectiveness at sustaining modern fighter aircraft loads and at reducing the accumulation of subgrade deformation. The matting systems were tested on a subgrade with a California bearing ratio (CBR) of 6 and subjected to simulated F-15E aircraft traffic while monitoring mat breakage and deformation. The systems were compared against baseline requirements established for the AMX program, which were established to match the performance of AM2 while providing a reduced logistical footprint. The systems tested in the experiments described in this report are not suitable alternatives, but improvements to mat component designs were recommended that could increase performance. DISCLAIMER:The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.

Determination of structural properties of airfield matting

“…for the PSA-FT-R. Additionally, reported that the Modified Light-Duty AM2 provided excellent performance with RPA loads. Garcia and Hoffman (2018) reported poor performance of the S46 and ALMATS when tested on a CBR of 6 and trafficked under F-15E traffic. Fewer than 50 passes to failure were supported by either mat system.…”

“…For over a decade, commercial matting systems have been investigated as part of the AMX program (Rushing et al 2009;Garcia et al 2012;Rushing et al 2012). Details for the most recent testing performed at the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) under this program can be found in Garcia and Hoffman (2018).…”

“…As described above, new matting systems that have not been fully characterized have been tested under the AMX and RPA programs. Therefore, researchers at ERDC performed medium-scale laboratory testing using the simply supported beam setup to experimentally determine the unit section modulus and flexural stiffness of matting systems described by Garcia and Hoffman (2018) and Garcia et al (2017).…”

“…Photographs of the S46 matting system are shown in Figure 2.4. Additional details are provided by Garcia and Hoffman (2018). Each AM2 panel was fabricated from a single 6061-T6 aluminum alloy extrusion with end connectors welded to the 2-ft ends to form a complete panel.…”

Effect of Geometry and Infill on Strength of 3D Printed Planar Matrices for Matting Applications

“…AM-2 is a versatile system that can handle multiple kinds of aircraft (6)(7)(8)(9), but poses logistical constraints arising from size and weight, and cannot be manufactured in theater or on demand. Alternative matting solutions have been developed and are constructed from lighter weight materials, such as fiberglass (10), composite materials (2,11), and polymers (12)(13)(14). While these mats have yet to replace AM-2, they demonstrate that polymer-based matting can serve as a viable and versatile alternative.…”