STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF AIRPORT

PAVEMENTS
 INTRODUCTION
• Pavement Engineering deals with the
structural analysis, design, construction and
maintenance of the way used for different
modes.
• Pavement is a covering of solid material/
materials, laid so as, to make a hard and
convenient surface for travel of any nature.
• Two basic types are Flexible Pavements and
Rigid Pavements.
 Flexible Pavements
• These are so named because the total pavement
structure deflects, or flexes, under loading.
• A flexible pavement structure is typically composed
of several layers of materials.
• Each layer receives the loads from the above layer,
spreads them out, and then passes on these loads to
the next layer below.
• All layers are further down in the pavement structure
are less loaded than their capacity.
• A flexible pavement structure lies over prepared Sub
Grade (Road Bed Soil)
• In order to take maximum advantage of this
property, material layers are usually
arranged in order of descending load
bearing capacity with highest load bearing
capacity material (and most expensive) on
the top and the lowest load bearing capacity
material (and least expensive) on the
bottom
Typical flexible pavement structure consisting of:
• Asphalt Concrete Surface Course (AC Course).
This is the top layer and the layer that comes in
contact with traffic. It may be composed of one or
several different Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) sub
layers.
• Base Course. This is the layer directly below the
AC Course and generally consist of aggregates
either stabilized or unstabilized.
• Sub Base Course, This is the layer or layers are
under the base course, may either be stabilized or
unstabilized.
•
 Rigid Pavement
• These are so named because the pavement
structure deflects very little under loading due
to the high modulus of elasticity of their
surface course.
• A rigid pavement structure is typically
composed of a Portland Cement Concrete
(PCC) surface course built on top of either the
sub grade or an underlying Sub base course.
Because of its relative rigidity, the pavement
structure distributes loads over a wide area
with only one structural layer.
• PCC Surface Course. This is the top layer, which
consist of the PCC slab
• Sub Base Course. This is the layer directly below
the PCC layer and generally consists of stabilized
or unstabilized aggregate or stabilized sub grade.
 Comparison of Flexible and Rigid
Pavements
Flexible Rigid

Essential difference is the way load is distributed

Structural capacity by load Most structural capacity by slab

distribution characteristics of itself. Relatively minor contribution
the layered system. to load carrying capacity by sub
base.

Deep deflection basin Shallow deflection basin

Low modulus of elasticity. High modulus of elasticity.

More rote of sub grade strength Minor variation in Sub grade

strength, little influence
 Comparison of Runway and
Highway Pavement
a. Runway pavement are always crowned whereas highways
pavement may or may not be crowned because of the lesser width.
b. Loading is central on airport pavement where as edge loading
problems are more on highway pavements. Wheels of trucks are
closer to pavement edge compared to aircraft landing gears.
c. Aircrafts have much more gross weight and tyre pressure
compared to trucks. However load repetitions are more in trucks.
d. Heavier gross weight of aircraft with less repetitions demand
thicker pavement.
 FAA METHOD FOR CIVIL
AIRPORT PAVEMENT DESIGN
Salient Points
a. Flexible and rigid pavements can be designed.
b. Soil study is prerequisite and is based upon
• USCS (Unified Soil Classification System).
• Soil investigations by making test pits and bore
holes.
• Soil Tests include particle size analysis, M-D
relationship, CBR and plate bearing tests (K-
value)
• Sub grade may have to be stabilized under certain
circumstances.
• Pavement layers (courses) have been standardized
and given item numbers. Design is based upon
standard layers. -
• Asphalt Concrete Course (AC). P401 Dense Graded
Hot Mix AC Course.
• Base Course. P209 Crushed Aggregate Base Course.
• Sub Base Course. P154 Sub Base Course.
• Equivalency factors for conversion to and from other
types including stabilized bases and sub bases are
available.
• 20 years structural life, it means that rehabilitation
and improvement in skid resistance will be required.
 Design Philosophy
• Flexible Pavement Design curves are based on
CBR method of design, basically empirical. Inputs on
design curves are CBR, annual departures and
grass weight (MSTOW).
• If input is sub grade CBR. gives total thickness (AC+
Base + Sub Base)
• If input is sub base CBR, gives 'AC -Base' thickness.
• AC thickness is given on each design curve
• Base course thickness is checked against minimum
base course required (Table 2)
• CBR value is established from USCS charts and tests.
 Aircraft Considerations
• 95% of gross weight is considered on main
(landing) gear, equally distributed on all
wheels.
• Singles (S), dual (D) and dual tandem (DT)
gear configurations have 2,4 and 8 wheels
respectively.
• Some of DT and all Double dual tandem
(DDT) are wide body aircrafts. These have
separate considerations and number of
wheels in such cases becomes immaterial.