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Airports facilitate the fastest mode of transportation and connect local communities and businesses with national and international destinations. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2021 infrastructure report card rated the aviation infrastructure category with a D+. This highlights the need for frequent monitoring and performing timely preservation techniques to ensure the optimal performance of the asset. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) periodically inspects the regional airports in Texas through visual surveys and estimates the pavement condition index (PCI) for each airport on a network scale. These ratings are used to assess the need for rehabilitation in a timely manner. In this study, an attempt was made to use an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mounted with an optical camera to inspect and evaluate the condition of various airport assets. Several observations were outlined to conduct a safe inspection of airport assets using UAVs. A comparison of PCI values, grouped into three categories, obtained from traditional and aerial inspections was made to understand the feasibility of using this new technology for airport asset management. It was observed that both inspections classified most of the airport assets similarly. The traditional inspection was observed to be quicker as it requires inspection of only sampled units, however, UAV data processing takes a relatively long time to offer a comprehensive digital footprint and immersive visualization experience of the whole airport assets. Overall, UAVs are identified to have a great potential as a data collection tool supplementary to the current traditional practices.
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This content will become publicly available on March 1, 2026
Performance metrics for resilience of airport infrastructure
Recent disruptions in transportation systems resulting from natural disasters, cyber accidents, and other factors clearly show the fragility of the airports and underscore the need for building resilience. This study introduces a comprehensive framework for evaluating the resilience of airport infrastructure, integrating critical functions and performance indicators in the context of specific missions that the airport needs to achieve. By focusing on the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) as a case study, the paper outlines a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodology for identifying and assessing the critical functions of airports as well as their ability to recover and adapt under different threat scenarios including threat-agnostic situation. The methodology and its application to the DFW case study offer insights into the resilience of airport operations, highlighting key areas for improvement and the potential for policy intervention. This study provides a robust tool for airport administrators and policymakers to enhance infrastructure resilience through a detailed analysis and visualization of airport performance indicators, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on transportation system sustainability and disaster preparedness.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2402580
- PAR ID:
- 10580369
- Publisher / Repository:
- Elsevier
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
- ISSN:
- 1361-9209
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 104676
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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