AIRPORT ENGINEERING

AIRFIELD PAVEMENT DESIGN

Flexible Design Methodology

CBR USACE
The Asphalt Institute
Typical Layout of Traffic Areas

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Typical Traffic Areas (USACE) - I
Type A
Subjected to the greatest concentration of maximum
loaded aircraft. Normally these areas are primary
taxiways, aprons and first 500-foot ends of runways.
Pavement designed for 25000 coverages for heavy
aircrafts or 1000 coverages for B-52.
Type B
Includes second 500-foot of runways, aprons, parking,
aircraft maintenance.
Designed for 5000 coverages of heavy aircrafts.

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Typical Traffic Areas (USACE) - II
Type C
Areas having reduced loading, where speed results in
smaller stresses on the pavement surface.
Areas includes runway interior, secondary taxiways.
Designed for 5000 coverages of 75% of MGW.
Type D
Subjected to occasional traffic at less than MGW.
Designed for 200 coverages at 75% MGW

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USACE (CBR) Flexible Design
Original design curves (1958) based upon CBR-
USACE equations
Wheel loads
Tire pressure
Gear configuration
Traffic area
Simplified approach (three load conditions)
Light-load, medium-load and heavy-load (25, 100 and
265 kips gear load)
Each load group has set of aircrafts

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Design Curves for Specific Aircraft

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Base/Subbase Minimum Requirement

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Pavement and Base Thickness Criteria-I

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Pavement and Base Thickness Criteria-II

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Example # 1
A Type A traffic area for a medium-load airfield is to be designed. Tables below give
information on the material characteristics and compaction requirements.

From 24-36 inches require 100 % compaction

From 36-48 inches require 95 % compaction

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Example # 1 Contd

Desired Pavement Structure

Surface = 4 inch
Base = 6 inch
SB No. 2 = 8 inch
SB No. 1 = 17 inch
SG (Compacted) = 35 - 47 inches at 95 % Compaction
SG (Natural) = 47 66 inches at 90% Compaction
SG (Natural) = Beyond 66 inches at 80% Compaction

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Example # 2
Using the Corps of Engineers CBR design analysis
(modified equation with a-value), determine the
required flexible pavement thickness requirements for
100,000 passes of a 411 kips gross weight L-1011-1
aircraft for a CBR = 4.5 percent and CBR = 10
percent. Assume a main gear tandem spacing of 52
inches x 70 inches, pt = 175 psi, and 95 percent of the
gross aircraft weight is supported by the main gear
assemblies.

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Example #2 Solution
Solution based upon equal deflection (At equal Ac)
Main gear load = (411 x 0.95/8) = 48.8 kips
Locations for evaluation
Directly under the center of one tire (Pos: a)
Midway between the 52-inch dual spacing (Pos: b)
Geometric center of gear (Pos: C)

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Example # 2 Solution

From Table 14.13

From Modified
Equation

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Example # 2 Solution

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Rigid Design Methodology

PCA
FAA
USACE
Background
Based upon theoretical stresses in elastic slab
Modified by field experience and appropriate safety
factors
Magnitude of distress depends upon repetitions of
load gear, gear configuration, gross load, tire pressure
and type of feature (i.e., taxiway, runways)
Stresses is function of modulus of subgrade reaction,
modulus of rupture and Poissons ratio

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Modulus of Subgrade Reaction
Plate series: 30, 24, 18, 12
inches in diameter.
The modulus of subgrade is
computed by the following
relationship:
p
k

p unit load on the plate ( psi)
deflectiio n of the plate (in.)

k-value corresponds to 10 psi

pressure

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Modulus of Rupture
Determined from beam breaking test
Typically 110 percent of 90-modulus is used in
thickness calculations
Design Modulus of Rupture (DMR) recognizing the
variation of testing and material is given by:
CV
DMR MR90 1 M
100
Where
DMR design modulus of rupture (psi)
MR90 average MR at 90 days (psi)
CV coefficien t of variation (10 to 20 percent)
M accounts for gain in strength, assumed to be 1.10

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Factor of Safety
Thickness requirements depend upon whether interior
or edge loading conditions are used
PCA design charts
Based upon interior loading case
Factor of safety
Aprons, taxiways, runway ends, hangar floors 1.7 to 2.0
Runways (central portion) high speed exit taxiways 1.4 to 1.7
USACE design (edge loading case)
FAA design (interior loading case)

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Portland Cement Association (PCA)
Design charts are for specific
aircraft
Assumes Ec = 4,000,000 psi and
Poisson Ratio = 0.15
Charts can be used in reverse
to find flexural stress for a
given thickness
Used with critical aircraft
design. For mixed traffic,
requires use of fatigue concepts

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Stress Ratio Concept for Fatigue Analysis

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PCA - Design Approach
Estimate the type and number of aircrafts
Calculate the stress from each aircraft (design charts)
for a assumed thickness
Estimate the fatigue by each aircraft type
N1 N 2 Nn
'
' ................ ' 1.0 to 1.10
N1 N 2 Nn
where N actual repetition s
N ' allowable repetition s
If the total damage is greater than the limiting value
increase the slab thickness

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PCA Load Repetition Factors

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Example - Mix Traffic Analysis

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Thickness Calculations
Percent Damage

100%

80.6%

t100 t80.6=14 inch

Slab Thickness

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The Continuum of Development

State-of-Practice State-of-the-Art

Empirical Mechanistic-
Mechanistic
Empirical

Actual Current
Practice??

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