FIELD REPAIR OF AIRFIELD LANDING MAT SURFACES

A TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED FOR RAPID REPAIR OF TACTICAL AIRFIELD METAL LANDING MATS HAS PROMISE FOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD. IN THE PAST, RUNWAYS DAMAGED BY MORTAR FIRE OR BOMBS HAD TO BE REPAIRED BY ONE OF TWO METHODS ENTAILING HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND LARGE, EXPERIENCED CREWS. THE NEW TECHNIQUE---EXPLOSIVE IMPULSE WELDING (EIW)---BRINGS METAL SURFACES TO WITHIN INTERATOMIC DISTANCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF BONDING. IT REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF TECHNICAL SKILL AND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT AND HAS THE ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGES OF PERMITTING BOND AREAS OF ALMOST ANY SIZE AND BONDING OF HARD-TO-WELD METALS AND BIMETALS. THE PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE TECHNIQUE ARE EXPLAINED, AND THE REPAIR METHOD IS DESCRIBED