Multi-material Helipad

The goal of the Phase 1 effort is to demonstrate the feasibility of using a structurally flexible multi-layered insulation for increased thermal management and reduced weight for a portable helipad for austere environments compared to the current single material system. Hor gases and thrust particulates from aircraft exhaust can create extreme temperatures and thermal shock leading to premature failures in exposed materials. Carbon and basalt non-woven fabrics and felts have tremendous temperature and thermal shock resistance making it the ideal material solution for flexible high heat portable helipads. The concept has great potential to limit the heat through the thickness and to maintain the underlying ground surface to below 200 0F. The architecture of the layered stack of materials is designed to produce a tortuous thermal path through the thickness and to spread the heat applied to the top surface from the exhaust laterally within the multi-material top layer. No through seams exist in the design to allow easy thermal transport of heat to the underlying surface. The proposed helipad mat should have excellent drapeability that will allow it to conform to irregular surfaces in austere environments that are not pre-prepared for helicopter or Vertical Takeoff & Landing operational traffic.