Justify the main components of an airport. Also discuss the role of Civil Engineer in Airport Engineering.

 

Q:    Justify the main components of an airport. Also discuss the role of Civil Engineer in Airport Engineering.   

Answer

            Components of Airport

Ø  Runway.

Ø  Taxiway.

Ø  Apron.

Ø  Terminal building.

Ø  Control tower.

Ø  Hanger.

Ø  Parking.

An airport has two major components; an airfield and terminals. A typical airfield is composed of a runway for takeoffs and landings as well as two (or one) parallel taxiing lanes (taxiway). Runways are labeled according to the direction (rounded magnetic azimuth in decimal) they are facing. Therefore, a plane using runway  09  would  be  facing east  (90 degrees)  while runway 27 (270 degrees), which is the same, would be facing west. Connecting lanes between  the runway and the taxiing lanes usually have an angle permitting the quick exit from the runway for planes that have just landed.

Modern airfield designs provide two of three exiting options per landing direction depending on the plane’s size. A small aircraft will take less distance to brake than a large aircraft and has thus the opportunity to quickly exit the runway, freeing valuable takeoff or landing slots.

Runway is a long, rectangular paved area used for the landing of air crafts, it should have sufficient length and width to accommodate the aircrafts.

The length of runway should be such that it should accelerate the aircraft to the point of take-off and should be enough such that the aircraft should be brought to stop within 60% of the available runway length.

Taxiway is a path that connect the aircraft with aprons, hangars, terminals and other facilities, it provides shortest possible path from runway to other facilities. It Should be visible from 300m to pilot at 3m height from the ground.

 

An Apron is an airport location where planes are stopped, loaded or unloaded, refilled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting in cars, it is more accessible to users than the open road or taxi. Apart from this, apron is also used to hold the planes before the departure and to wait till the runway is cleared from other planes.

Automobile parking is provided at on the side of the city at the airport for people to reach airport.

A hangar is a closed building for holding airplanes or spacecraft. Hangar is used for weather protection, direct sunlight and repairs, assembly and maintenance of aircraft.

Role of Civil Engineer in Airport Engineering

A civil engineer in the airports sector will specialise in the design, tendering,

contracting and supervision services in connection with runways, taxiways, aprons

and landside access facilities.

The civil engineer must consider issues such as drainage, airside layout, landside

access design and passenger flow characteristics.

 

Despite civil engineering’s importance to providing engineering design and advanced technical services that are central to air operations, these contributions have largely remained below the radar. It’s time to shine a spotlight on civil engineering’s vital role as the foundation for global air transport today.

Airside and landside design and engineering services include:

Ø  Runway, taxiway, and apron design

Ø  Roadway, curbside, and parking lot design

Ø  Electrical design

Ø  Pavement design, rehabilitation, and life-cycle cost analyses

Ø  Drainage design including best management practices implementation and low-impact development

Ø  Structural design (foundations and bridges)

Ø  Navigational aid system planning and design

Ø  Airfield lighting and signing and control system design

Ø  Airside/landside fueling design

Ø  Security system planning and design

Ø  Surveying/geotechnical investigation