Advancing Pavement Monitoring for Sustainable Airport Infrastructure

Purpose and goal

The project aims to enhance Arlanda´s competitiveness and develop the next generation of a digitally transformed airport. The project aims to optimize downtime and improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability by using advanced sensors including optical fibers and MEMS/miniature electronic sensors, which provide real-time monitoring of pavement conditions. The project seeks to predict pavement performance based on the results, and data-driven models validated by traditional testing, and to recommend a sustainable pavement strategy.

Expected effects and result

The project will ensure the functions of sensors in complex and harsh environments at long-term deployment. The sensing technologies will enable large amounts of data collection and processing to monitor runway conditions and deterioration. This data can provide insight into exactly where and when maintenance is required. Therefore, it addresses the limitations of current inspection technologies, such as the need for scheduled downtimes, and labor-intensive processes. The results can be scaled to other Swedish airports and applied to other critical infrastructures.

Planned approach and implementation

The project focuses on identifying and evaluating the most suitable sensor technologies that possess accuracy, robustness, and integrity capability with the pavement. The installation of sensors is divided into two phases: first on a taxiway, and second on a runway in 2025. This project develops a framework to analyze pavement behavior. It will create health indicators monitoring the pavement’s condition and anticipate future degradation. Life Cycle Assessment will assess the environmental impact. The findings will be disseminated through workshops and online platforms.