CHARLOTTE, N.C. — At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, construction is underway on a brand-new fourth parallel runway — but this isn’t just any runway. A new partnership between the airport and UNC Charlotte is bringing cutting edge technology to one of the airport’s biggest expansion projects.
“We want to be doing cutting edge research that really capitalizes on this partnership to advance the research that addresses the needs and challenges of today’s airports, today’s aviation industry,” Professor of Civil Engineering Technology & Construction Management Dr. Tara Cavalline said.
Through a partnership with UNC Charlotte’s Aviation and Innovation Research Institute, the airport is launching an advanced “digital twin” program — embedding sensors directly into the pavement to collect real-time data with the goal to better understand how runways perform over time, improving safety, efficiency and long-term maintenance…