Comprehensive Analysis of the Causes and Preventive Measures for the Detachment of Runway Side Lights at Airports

The shedding of runway-side lights at an airport has attracted widespread attention, which not only threatens the safety of flights, but also affects the normal operation of airports. In this study, the damaged runway edge light and its related parts were examined in detail using a combination of macroscopic observation, energy spectrum analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and thread morphology analysis, with the aim of investigating in depth the cause of the detachment of the edge light. It was found that the lamps suffered significant corrosion and damage during long-term use, with the threads showing the most severe signs of corrosion and cracks. Further analysis showed that the crush and impact of the aircraft tires was a key factor in the dislodgement of the luminaire, and that the chemical composition of the tires was similar to that of the blackened deposits on the luminaire, suggesting that contact between the two had occurred. In addition, infrared spectral analysis revealed that the deposits originated from the asphalt layer of the airport pavement, suggesting that friction with the pavement was created during the shedding of the light fixtures. Thread morphology analysis showed that the fixture may have been subjected to high torque prior to stripping, which exacerbated the thread breakage. Based on the above analyses, it can be inferred that the side lamp detachment is the result of the combination of long-term corrosion damage to the lamp, the impact of aircraft tires, and the use of torque. At the same time, potential factors such as settlement, cracks and misalignment of the airport pavement may also have contributed to the loss of luminaires.