Quantifying the Effects of Runway Light Types on Runway Visual Range in Different Visibility Conditions

To clarify the impact mechanisms of different types of runway lighting equipment on runway visual range (RVR) under varying visibility conditions, this study proposes 21 runway lighting level schemes and conducts a comparative analysis to determine their effects on target object luminance and RVR. We have also suggested an optimized runway lighting scheme to enhance airport operational safety under low-visibility conditions. Additionally, the study explores the influence of runway centerline lights and edge lights on RVR. The results indicate that increasing the lighting level of runway lights raises the average illuminance and enhances target object luminance, but it can lead to a reduction in RVR. By selecting an appropriate lighting level scheme, effective optimization of RVR can be achieved across all visibility ranges. Compared to edge lights, higher intensity of centerline lights has a more significant negative impact on RVR; reducing the lighting level of centerline lights improves RVR three times more effectively than reducing the level of edge lights. On the other hand, edge lights have a more pronounced effect on target object luminance. Under low visibility conditions, increasing the lighting level of edge lights can enhance target object luminance by approximately 260%.