Versatile Frangible Tower Design

Federal Aviation Administration/Tower Engineering, 2003-04

Liaison(s): Rachel Preston
Advisor(s): Lori Bassman
Students(s): Deborah Meduna (PM), Alyssa Caridis, Su Hyun Jeun, Joe Laubach, Stephanie Svetlik (POM)

Because the wind data at airports is currently collected by sensors at a safe but significant distance from runways, it is desirable to move sensor towers closer to runways to increase data accuracy. The team has designed a frangible structure, meaning the tower fails upon impact with a plane without causing catastrophic damage, which meets the new international design specifications and allows one person to easily access sensors for maintenance.