Optimization of Runway Exit Configurations

The selection of runway exit configuration is formulated as an optimization problem in which the capacity of the runway is traded off against the cost of constructing the exits. A dynamic programming algorithm is developed to solve the optimization problem taking into account the characteristics of the aircraft population mix at the airport and the directional use patterns of the runway. Four cases of increasing complexity are considered culminating in an algorithm for runways having multiple exit types operated in both directions. The algorithm is used with a set of representative input data to develop some typical optimum configurations and to determine the sensitivity of the runway design to variation of parameters, such as number of exits, percentage directional use, relative exit construction costs, and runway length.