Evaluation of the Surface Dynamics Profilometer for Runway Profile Measurement.

This report evaluates the use of the surface dynamics profilometer for measuring runway profiles. This evaluation showed that the surface dynamics profilometer meets all requirements for a system of this type and that for the first time runway profiles can be rapidly and accurately measured without removing the runway from operation for long periods of time. Modern aircraft, due to their large size, structural flexibility and higher take-off and landing speeds, can be excited into a resonant condition by runway roughness. Forces generated by the interaction of the aircraft and the runway can cause damaging stresses both in the aircraft structure and the runway pavement itself. Wavelength components in the runway profile that cause aircraft resonance often are difficult to locate. One method is to use the measured profile of the runway as an input to a computer simulation of the affected aircraft. (Author)