Foldable Water Runway Rapid Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional water surface runways are inflexible, costly, and require extensive construction time, making them unsuitable for quick deployment and use in offshore conditions, and existing emergency-built runways struggle to provide adequate buoyancy and support on water surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A foldable water surface emergency-built runway system comprising a storage box with a light flexible folding runway, recovery apparatus, contractile apparatus, inflation and deflation apparatus, and anchoring apparatus, along with an attitude monitoring and control system, allowing for rapid deployment and recovery, and featuring an external anti-skid drainage layer and internal reinforcement for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional water surface runway is constructed as a fixed facility, then it provides stable takeoff and landing surface, but it cannot be deployed and recovered quickly, and requires long construction period
Solution Approach 1:
The runway is divided into multiple modular sections that can be independently deployed and assembled. Each module contains its own support structure and floating elements, allowing rapid assembly without requiring complete construction of the entire runway at once, thus reducing deployment time while maintaining overall stability
Solution Approach 2:
The runway transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic deployable system. The support legs and floating platforms can be quickly assembled, deployed, and disassembled, enabling the runway to adapt its configuration based on operational needs while providing stable surfaces during active use
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional water surface runway is constructed with complete functions, then it provides comprehensive support for aircraft operations, but it results in high cost, huge system, and complex construction
Solution Approach 1:
The runway modules are designed with universal components that can serve multiple functions. The same floating platforms and support structures provide both structural support and buoyancy, while ancillary systems like lighting and signage can be added or removed based on specific operational requirements, reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Critical components such as floating platforms, support legs, and connection mechanisms are pre-assembled and pre-positioned before deployment. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid final assembly on-site, reducing construction time and complexity while ensuring all necessary functions are already integrated
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional water surface runway relies on seaboard for construction, then it provides stable construction baseline, but it cannot meet takeoff and landing conditions under offshore conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses floating platforms that provide buoyant counterweight to offset the weight of the runway structure and aircraft loads. This eliminates the need for seaboard anchoring, as the floating elements naturally provide stable support through water displacement, enabling deployment in offshore locations without predefined construction baselines
4Shape
If land emergency-built runway uses metal materials with large deadweight, then it provides high flatness for aircraft takeoff and landing, but it cannot be directly used on water surface due to insufficient buoyancy
Solution Approach 1:
The runway structure incorporates inflatable airbags or hydraulic buoyancy elements that provide the necessary lift to support the runway surface and aircraft loads on water. These pneumatic or hydraulic systems generate upward force through fluid pressure, counteracting the weight of the runway structure and enabling water surface deployment without requiring excessively heavy materials
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables quick and cost-effective deployment of a stable runway on water surfaces, suitable for aircraft and helicopters, with strong compression and flex resistance, and can be used as a temporary berth in extreme weather conditions, reducing construction time and reliance on ships.
Implementation Method 1
a folding runway, being made of a light flexible material, and having an internal filling gas to carry an unfolding state of an aircraft and a folding state when the interior is in vacuum
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a water surface foldable emergency-built runway, including a storage box; a folding runway having an unfolding state and a folding state; a recovery apparatus, being provided in the storage box and connected with the folding runway to push the folding runway out of the storage box or recover into the storage box; a contractile apparatus, being provided on the folding runway to assist the folding runway to be unfolded or folded; an inflation and deflation apparatus, being provided in the storage box and communicated with the interior of the folding runway to inflate or deflate the folding runway; and an anchoring apparatus, being provided at a bottom face of the folding runway to fix the folding runway in water. It has advantages of low cost, convenient transportation, short construction time, strong overturning resistance, compression resistance and flex resistance.