Evaluation of Runway Bearing Capacity using International Roughness Index

Abstract

In the airport field, to improve the APMS (Airport Pavement Management System), it may be advantageous, in economic terms, to evaluate "Bearing Capacity" using the International Roughness Index (IRI).This paper explores the relationship between the bearing capacity (dynamic modulus - HWD) and the IRI; the study was conducted on the Lamezia Terme Airport (IATA: SUF, ICAO: LICA), located near Lamezia Terme in the Calabria region in southern Italy.Bearing Capacity data (from 2010 to 2014), detected through H.W.D. and data on surface features (in terms of IRI) detected through Laser Profilometer, for the same period, were acquired for the goals of this study.The data were processed using a series of statistical procedures; in particular two models were obtained: Model 1 by MultiVariate Analysis (MVA) and Model 2 using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique. Comparing the two models, it emerged that Model 2 is better than Model 1 because the total sum of the residual is lower.In summary, through these two models, knowing simply the IRI, it is possible to indirectly evaluate the "Bearing Capacity" in any point of the runway.