Caracterização do comportamento mecânico de faixas preparadas em excursões laterais de pistas de pouso e decolagem

Abstract

Runway excursions pose risks that can compromise the operational safety of landings and takeoffs, cause damage to aircraft, and result in financial and human losses. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to evaluate the mechanical behavior of runway strips, taking into account the stresses generated by the interaction between landing gear systems and the surface. This study aims to characterize the interaction between aircraft landing gear and the surfaces of runway strips during lateral runway excursions. To achieve this, simulations were conducted using the finite element method with the ABAQUS/CAE software, along with an empirical analysis performed using the P-CASE software. The developed model considered eight structural configurations of runway strips composed of different materials, and the impact of four distinct aircraft models (Boeing 737-800, Airbus A321-200, Boeing 787-9 e Boeing 777-300ER) on the surface of these strips, resulting in a total of 32 combinations analyzed. The simulations assessed the influence of Resilient Modulus (MR), layer thicknesses, and various landing gear configurations on surface displacements of the runway strips, as well as their loadbearing capacity, quantified by the number of allowable passes. The results indicated that the analyzed structures exhibited adequate structural capacity, with no significant displacements. A sensitivity analysis was conducted considering structures with final layer thicknesses of 15 cm, 25 cm, and 35 cm, combined with 12 MR values and 4 aircraft models, totaling 144 simulations. It was found that displacements vary nonlinearly with MR, and that the effects of layer thickness are more pronounced at lower MR values. The study concluded that surface displacements in runway strips are influenced by MR, layer thickness, and specific aircraft characteristics. Notably, aircraft with lower operational weight may generate greater displacements due to landing gear configuration and load distribution. Furthermore, the interaction between MR and layer thickness showed that less rigid materials tend to exhibit greater displacements in thicker layers, whereas more rigid materials are less affected.