A method for establishing a runway safety area adjacent a runway, wherein the runway safety area is a cement matrix having a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies suspended therein, including mixing cement and foamed glass aggregate bodies to define a composite material, forming the composite material into a runway safety area defining a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies suspended in a cement matrix, taxiing an aircraft over the runway safety area and crushing at least a portion of the runway safety area with the aircraft to bleed off the aircraft's kinetic energy, wherein the runway safety area has a crushing failure mode.

This invention relates to a vehicle arresting system comprising an arrestor-bed 1, of a compactible foam material having a bulk compressive strength and a longitudinal centre axis A-A extending from a front end to a back end opposite the front end, wherein the arrestor-bed comprises a set of linear zones having a compressive strength lower than the bulk compressive strength extending in parallel with the longitudinal centre axis of the bed, and/or are angled with an angle ?, where 0?<?<45?, towards the longitudinal centre axis of the arrestor-bed.

A vehicle arresting system includes a base layer comprising a crushable aggregate and a cover layer comprising a cementitious material having an oven-dry density of 100 lb/ft3 or less. The system also may include an arrestor bed and a plurality of anchors. Each anchor includes a support rod coupled to an associated puck, each support rod being secured to a foundation that supports the arrestor bed, and each puck being embedded in the cover layer slab of the arrestor bed. Additionally, each support rod is coupled to its associated puck via a shear link breakable at a predetermined load.

Materials and structures for absorbing energy. The materials and structures are well suited for arresting aircraft and other vehicles, although their purposes need not be so limited. Also detailed are packaging and other solutions for maintaining system integrity, especially (but not exclusively) when foam glass or other aggregate is employed and stabilizing the location of the aggregate is desired.

A method of slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including paving an area immediately beyond the end of a runway with foamed glass bodies to define a bed, covering the bed with a layer of cementitious material to define a composite bed, and crushing at least a portion of the composite bed with an oncoming aircraft, wherein crushing the at least a portion of the composite bed removes kinetic energy from the oncoming aircraft to slow the oncoming aircraft. The composite bed is generally resistant to fire.

A method of producing an arrestor bed for slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including paving an area immediately beyond the end of a runway with foamed glass aggregate to define a bed, and covering the bed with a layer of cementitious material to define a composite bed.

This invention relates to a vehicle arresting system comprising an arrestor-bed of a compactible foam material having a bulk compressive strength and a longitudinal centre axis extending from a front end to a back end opposite the front end, wherein the arrestor-bed comprises an assembly of prefabricated blocks arranged into an even numbered set of linear lanes of prefabricated blocks, where half of the set is located on a left side and half of the set is located on a right side of the longitudinal centre axis of the arrestor-bed, and where each linear line of prefabricated blocks are angled with an angle , where 0<30, towards the longitudinal centre axis of the arrestor-bed.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a core of individual components having properties such that a system assembled from the components absorbs the kinetic energy of a moving vehicle. The components may be interlocking components. The components may be manufactured of ceramic or polymeric composite or other materials that are strong enough to absorb the vehicle's energy and help stop the vehicle safely by the system's ability to crush or deform upon impact, and not so strong that it causes the vehicle to crumple against the barrier. In one particular embodiment, the components may be modified packing elements that are traditionally used in gas to liquid columns.