A Design Approach on the Use of Lightweight Filling Materials for Construction of an Aircraft Deicing Station at a Critical Soil Site: A Case Study

Abstract

Deicing and anti-icing operations are frequently carried out on aircrafts at their current parking stand after completion of ground operations. Use of individual stands can be often challenging as this may also considerably affect operations, especially in highly-trafficked airports at winter-critical areas. Hence, a lack of or an incorrect location of these stations may have tremendous economic and operational impact. This research reports a multi-stage design method for construction of a 29.000-m2 deicing station in a critical soil site. The main aim of the project is to identify sustainable interventions to avoid short- and long-term economic, environmental and operational issues. An assessment based on the use of fundamental geotechnical parameters is first implemented to create thematic maps of the identified construction area, followed by a comparative analysis of potential intervention scenarios. A combination of lightweight filling and advanced materials has been proposed to ensure homogeneity and suitable bearing capacity of the laying ground.