Enhancing the impact performance of runway pavements with improved composition

Abstract

Past research has indicated that the effects of impact loads due to hard aircraft landings are critical to be considered in the design of runway pavements. However, the current Australian Standard only considers the gravity load of the landed aircraft. Based on the literature it is evident that very limited research has been conducted to understand the performance of conventional runway pavements under impact loading. This paper carries out a comprehensive experimental investigation on the impact response of four types of runway pavements with different compositions. Two are conventional runway pavements and the other two runway pavements have varied compositions to enhance performance under impact loads. The effects of controlling parameters are captured and then used to evaluate the safety and performance of the runway pavements under dynamic impact loads. Experimental results show that the incorporation of high strength concrete in the base layer of the flexible pavement and plastic fibers into the concrete pavement can significantly improve the impact resistance of the two different (conventional) runway pavement systems. The enhanced performance of the runway pavements is captured through the deflection time history, energy absorption and failure mode. These research findings will inform the design of runway pavements for enhanced protective performance.