Evaluation of Wind-Loading on Airport Signs

Airport signs at certain critical locations at O’Hare International Airport and other major U.S. airports are being sheared off their mounting legs at the frangible coupling from aircraft jet engine blast and/or wake turbulence forces. This damage to the sign increases the chance of foreign object damage (FOD) as well as the loss, of visual guidance for other aircraft. There is a need to better understand and more precisely determine the forces on the signs at these locations.

DOT/FAA/AR-TN00/32
Author: Keith Bagot