Airport Pavement Detail

Friday, April 14, 2023

In-Service Performance of Airport Flexible Pavements Constructed Following State Specifications for Highway Pavement Materials

DOT/FAA/TC-22/46, Author: West, R. C., Rodezno, M. C., Leiva, F., and Musselman, J. A.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2018, Section 136 requires the FAA to allow the use of state highway specifications for airfield pavement construction at non-primary airports serving aircraft with a gross weight less than 60,000 lb if requested by the state. To confirm that state highway specifications provide an acceptable level of performance when used on airport pavements, the FAA initiated this project to compare the performance of airports constructed using state highway specifications with those constructed using FAA specifications. Performance data and specifications from 40 airport projects in five states were analyzed, with 21 using FAA specifications and 19 using state highway specifications. Based on the summarized pavement condition index (PCI) ratings from those projects (which are based on visual condition surveys and do not consider structural or functional performance), it was determined that the performance of airport asphalt pavements constructed using state highway specifications is statistically equivalent to asphalt pavements constructed using FAA specifications. The evaluations encompassed performance periods ranging from 1 to 15 years. Performance trends for the statistical analysis conducted showed an approximate PCI rating of 60 at year 14 for pavements constructed with both types of specifications. It was also determined that climate-based distresses were the predominant mode of distress for both FAA and state highway specification projects, with longitudinal and transverse cracking and weathering as the most prevalent types of distresses. The number of distresses that were load related was relatively minor, as only 8 of the 40 projects evaluated had load-related distresses. Of those projects, five used state highway specifications, and three used FAA specifications.

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