Abstract
Maintenance interventions and rehabilitation actions in airfield pavements are time-consuming and adversely affect pavements’ serviceability (i.e., airport closures), with a profound impact on the airport economics. Once a pavement is constructed, a robust asset management prerequisites systematic and accurate knowledge of pavement condition throughout its service life. Evaluating a pavement’s structural capacity in the field involves the integration of multiple Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) systems, with the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) being the most indicative NDT system for pavement evaluation. The purpose of the present study is to develop a methodology for the assessment of airfield concrete pavements. A new and non-trafficked Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP), facing early-life cracks shortly after a runway’s expansion activities, was utilized for the investigation. Multiple types of data collected in the field, including deflections, load transfer efficiency at joints and cracks, concrete thickness through coring as well as data retrieved in the laboratory (concrete’s flexural strength), helped to define the pavement’s performance and assess its damage potential. Overall, the integration of such data can provide the related airport authorities the necessary information in order to make a rational asset management and enhance the efficiency of airfield infrastructures. The methodology is applicable for both new and in-service pavements.
Highlights
The present study aims to contribute towards an optimal assessment of airfield concrete pavements with a view to assisting the airport authorities and the related stakeholders on how to formulate their asset management strategies
Deficiencies in thickness have a negative effect on the performance of concrete pavements, something that was taken into consideration when assessing the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) data
It is noted that according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for a more conservative evaluation or design approach, it is recommended that the mean minus one standard deviation may be used for establishing design and evaluation inputs
Summary
Preserving structurally sound and fully serviceable airfield pavements is crucial for the capacity of the air transportation network. Airfield pavements are a major component of the critical transportation infrastructure network serving daily flows of human beings and freights, promoting regional economic development and boosting tourist flows [1]. Budgetary constraints in terms of infrastructure management are becoming an increasing concern, implying that rehabilitation planning is usually a matter of concern for the related stakeholders. Maintenance interventions and rehabilitation actions are time-consuming, and most seriously, they adversely affect pavements’ serviceability (i.e., airport closures) with a profound impact on the airport economics. In the case of the concrete pavements usually seen in airfields, rehabilitation design is even more challenging, since concrete brittleness usually makes it necessary to select in-depth and, costly interventions by fully replacing the distressed slabs
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