Research On Models And Methods Of Airport Runway Capacity Estimation

Airports are the nodes of transportation. When the traffic flow of air transportation network reaches a certain level, the limit of airport capacity will become a major obstacle in the air flight network. In the many factors influencing the level of airport capacity and operational capabilities, runway capacity often plays the key decisive role. Evaluation of airport runway capacity can provide the basis for correctly understanding the characteristics and running rules of airport runway system, thus providing a scientific decision-making basis for the airport planning and deployment and also the operation management.Capacity models of runway based on mutual exclusion rule of critical resources, and of staggered parallel runways were established. Meanwhile, the evaluation methods were implemented in this paper. Combined with theoretical calculation, the Monte Carlo stochastic method and computer simulations, multiple instances were analyzed to validate the models.1. First, the concept of "runway component" was introduced to define the runway component in the runway capacity evaluation, considering the air traffic control rules, random errors and human factors such as air traffic controllers. Capacity evaluation models of single runway for large airport, small and medium sized airport were established under the conditions of radar control and non-radar control. Then capacity evaluation models of staggered parallel runways with various aircraft flow relations were built, the most influencing parameters of runway configuration (runway centrally distance, threshold staggering) were taken into account2. Based on the establishment of the single runway time-space capacity models, statistical analysis of the airport flight schedule, aircraft performance and operation process of different types of aircraft, theoretical capacity results was made. Numerical simulations using Monte Carlo method were given. Runway capacity was obtained after processing the sequence fragments of each combination mode and then analyzed. Simulation systems for the airport single runway capacity evaluation were developed. Comparing the results of the different simulations, the feasibilities of the three methods were analyzed. Suggestions were put forward according to the research of airport runway operation.3. Based on the modes and strategies of parallel runway operation, and on the establishment of staggered parallel runway capacity model, Xi’an Xianyang Airport was used as the background to give theoretical capacity evaluations for dependent operations in scenarios under different control measures. After comparing the results, proposals for different characteristics of the airport traffic flow were presented.