National Academies Press: OpenBook

Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices (2011)

Chapter: Chapter One - Introduction

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14500.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14500.
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Page 5
Page 6
Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14500.
×
Page 6
Page 7
Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14500.
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Page 7

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5This report describes the results of ACRP Project 11-03, S09-02, Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices. The objective of the synthesis is to provide information for airport managers and engineers on how airports implement airport pavement maintenance systems (APMSs), including inspection and tracking pavement condition, scheduling maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R), identifying neces- sary funds and treating distresses in asphalt concrete (AC) and portland cement concrete (PCC). PURPOSE There is a large amount of information available on pave- ment maintenance; however, the information is dispersed and not always current. The specific objectives of the syn- thesis include: • Documenting current pavement maintenance practices; • Synthesizing relevant information by comparing, eval- uating, and prioritizing it; and • Identifying ongoing and recently completed research in the area of airport pavement maintenance programs and treatments. Pavement maintenance as discussed in this synthesis includes both maintenance treatments such as crack sealing and rehabilitation treatments such as overlays. All types of M&R treatments are needed for cost-effective preservation of airport pavements. The synthesis describes pavement M&R practices for AC and PCC pavements; however, such prac- tices for surface-treated and aggregate-surfaced pavements are not included. BACKGROUND Airport pavement maintenance practices generally follow the objectives, principles, and methodology of highway pave- ment management and asset management. There are several publications that provide useful information on pavement management procedures, including pavement condition eval- uation, selection of maintenance and rehabilitation treat- ments, priority analysis, and other pavement management topics. For example, FAA Advisory Circular on Guidelines and Procedures for Maintenance of Airport Pavements (2007); FAA Advisory Circular on Airport Pavement Man- agement Program (2006); Transportation Research Circular E-C127: Implementation of an Airport Pavement Manage- ment System (Tighe and Covalt 2008); Unified Facilities Cri- teria on Pavement Maintenance Management (2008); Mod- ern Pavement Management (Hass et al. 1994); Pavement Management for Airports, Roads, and Parking Lots (Shahin 1994); and the AASHTO Pavement Management Guide (2001). The FHWA Pavement Preservation Compendium II (2006) describes many practical aspects of preventive main- tenance applied to highway pavements. The activities included for cost-effective preservation of airport pavements can be divided into two broad stages. The first stage includes identification and selection of future M&R treatments and projects considering the needs of all airport pavements. The objective of the first stage is to develop a budget for a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) or for a sim- ilar infrastructure preservation program. The second stage involves the design and construction of the M&R treatments for specific pavement sections identified during the first stage. In the context of pavement management, the first stage activities represent the network-level management and the sec- ond stage activities the project-level management. Although both pavement management stages are described in the syn- thesis, the emphasis is on the network-level activities (how to select the right M&R treatments for the right pavements) rather than on materials and construction methods used for pavement preservation (how to design and build the right treat- ment). The reasons for emphasizing network-level activities rather than project-level activities include: • Activities carried out at the network level, such as a sys- tematic and objective assessment of pavement network condition, have universal applicability, whereas project- level activities often depend on airport-specific and site- specific conditions. • Some maintenance treatments, such as microsurfacing and slurry seals, are constructed according to industry- or region-wide specifications with little input by local airport authorities. • Pavement maintenance management practices on the net- work level are the cornerstone of pavement preservation. The main challenge facing airport authorities is not which pavement preservation treatment to use on a particular section, but to justify that M&R treatments are necessary and to obtain funding for their implementation. • Information on airport pavement maintenance practices on the network level needs to be documented. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Combining Maintenance and Rehabilitation This synthesis is concerned with both pavement maintenance and rehabilitation treatments, because these treatments overlap and are an integral part of a pavement preservation program. Guidelines and manuals on pavement preservation typically combine M&R treatments. For example, FAA Advisory Cir- cular on Guidelines and Procedures for Maintenance of Air- port Pavements (2007) describes M&R treatments together using the term “maintenance and repair.” MicroPAVER (2003), a predominant pavement management software appli- cation, recommends pavement preservation strategies using several M&R treatments. Pavement maintenance may also include routine mainte- nance that does not substantially improve the pavement sur- face, such as removal of debris, snow and ice control, repaint- ing of pavement markings, maintenance of in-pavement lights, and removal of rubber deposits. These routine maintenance activities are not included in the synthesis. Role of Preventive Maintenance (Preservation) Preventive maintenance is carried out to prevent premature pavement deterioration or to slow the rate of deterioration. It is accomplished when the treatment is most effective, typically when the pavement is fairly new. Preventive maintenance may include, for example, crack sealing or machine patching of AC pavements, or resealing of PCC pavements. Preventive maintenance is an integral part of a pavement preservation program—of applying the right treatment to the right pave- ment at the right time. Preventive maintenance has a special standing in the area of pavement preservation for several reasons: • Preventive maintenance embodies the age-old experi- ence that a stitch in time saves nine. • The term preventive maintenance, and the concept of preventive maintenance, have become widely accepted and are well-liked by many practitioners. • The successful application of preventive maintenance programs depends on the timeliness of the application that includes: – Detailed pavement surveys that can pinpoint when the treatment produces best results. For example, routing and sealing of longitudinal and transverse cracks in AC pavements produces favorable results after the cracks are well-defined, but before single cracks develop into multiple cracks. – Dedicated funding so that the treatment can be car- ried out at the right time without funding delays. Consequently, the emphasis on preventive maintenance high- lights the need for timely pavement preservation actions and contributes to judicious monitoring of pavement condition and to the establishment of dedicated maintenance budgets. 6 METHODOLOGY The synthesis is based on information obtained by an extensive literature review, a targeted survey of airport pavement main- tenance professionals, follow-up telephone interviews, and interviews and discussions with pavement experts, including technical staff representing airports of different sizes located in different regions of the country. Literature Review Airport pavement maintenance technology is documented in many publications such as books, guidelines, manuals of practice, specifications, circulars, and field performance and research reports. The primary information sources included the following: • U.S.DOT—The FAA has issued several applicable advisory circulars referenced previously. The FHWA and its Office of Asset Management has produced sev- eral useful publications, notably the Pavement Preser- vation Toolbox (2006). • U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The Air Force has issued eight applicable Engineering Technical Letters that provide practical guidance for M&R of airfield pavements; for example, Maintenance and Repair of Rigid Airfield Pavement Surfaces, Joints, and Cracks (2004). The DOD also issues Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) publications. The UFC series contains more than a dozen relevant reports and tech- nical manuals; for example, Pavement Maintenance Management (2004). • Reports produced by the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), such as Asphalt Pavement Repair Manuals of Practice (1993) and Concrete Pavement Repair Manuals of Practice (1993), and reports pro- duced by SHRP Long Term Pavement Performance Program, such as Comparison of Rehabilitation Strate- gies for AC Pavements (2000). • National and international industry associations such as International Slurry Surfacing Association, National Asphalt Paving Association, American Concrete Pave- ment Association, and The Asphalt Institute. • Technical associations and foundations such as TRB, American Society of Civil Engineers, Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, Foundation for Pavement Preservation, National Centre for Pavement Preserva- tion, Airfield Asphalt Technical Program, and Innovative Pavement Research Foundation. • State sources. Several state transportation agencies developed comprehensive pavement maintenance guides, notably California (2008), Michigan (1999), Minnesota (2001), and Ohio (2001). This synthesis contains only a small selection from the avail- able information, with the objective to provide an overview

7of common airport pavement maintenance practices and their current application. Many information sources, such as pavement management guides, specifications, manuals, and field performance reports, used for the preparation of the synthesis, were written for road- way pavements. There are differences between airfield and road- way pavements. Airfield pavements are subjected to a greater range of wheel loads, and wheel load applications are relatively infrequent and more spatially distributed (less channelized) as compared with roadway pavements. However, both airfield and roadway pavements are built and maintained using the same con- struction technology (materials, construction equipment, and construction methods), are supported by similar subgrade soils, and are exposed to a similar environment. There are also differences between pavement management procedures used for airport pavement networks and roadway pavement networks. These differences are caused primarily by the differences in the size of airport and roadway networks. The large size of roadway networks, particularly networks managed by state transportation agencies, leads to the devel- opment of customized pavement management software and pavement management procedures. For example, the cus- tomized software may incorporate an interface with other cor- porate databases and management systems, and include a customized approach to generating project priorities. Large roadway networks are also built on a variety of subgrades and in different environmental zones, necessitating more sophis- ticated prediction of pavement performance and the selection of M&R treatments. Nevertheless, the management of both airport and roadway networks is based on the same manage- ment principles, and uses similar management procedures and frequently the same pavement management software. There is also a degree of similarity in the mechanism for funding of pavement preservation for roadway pavements and for airport pavements by external agencies, and in the conse- quent requirement to justify funding requests. Airfield pave- ment preservation is primarily funded by the FAA with some contribution by the states; roadway pavement preservation, for Interstate and primary highways, receives funding from the FHWA. Both federal funding agencies require recipients to report periodically on the condition and utilization of pave- ment networks receiving funding. However, unlike airfield pavements, many roadway pavements are primarily funded by their owner: the state, county, or a municipality. Survey of Pavement Maintenance Professionals The first systematic assessment of airport pavement manage- ment practices in the United States was carried out by Broten and Wade (2004) in 2003, and included a survey of all 50 state aviation agencies. The survey focused on how the state avia- tion agencies were using their APMSs. The survey docu- mented widespread use of APMSs and the positive impact the APMS had on the overall condition of airport pavements. Unlike the previous survey, the synthesis survey did not tar- get state aviation agencies, but individual pavement mainte- nance professionals representing individual airports or small groups of airports serving one small geographical area. The survey of airport pavement maintenance practitioners representing individual airports was the main tool for gather- ing information on current maintenance practices. The survey questionnaire is included in Appendix A. Key survey results are presented in subsequent chapters of this synthesis, with additional results presented in Appendix B. The survey and subsequent interviews focused on the fol- lowing topics: • Use of an APMS and experience with its operation. The topics included the age of the APMS, type of software used, and the involvement of consultants in the opera- tion of the APMS. • Evaluation of pavement condition, including periodic evaluation of pavement surface distresses, roughness, friction, and pavement surface deflections. • Procedures used to select best pavement rehabilitation treatments. • Use of preventive maintenance, including the existence of a dedicated budget for preventive maintenance. • Sources of funding and procedures used to obtain fund- ing for pavement preservation activities. • Use and performance of common pavement M&R treat- ments, including new and innovative pavement preser- vation treatments. The survey questionnaire was sent to 62 airports in 34 states to obtain information on current practices in airport pavement maintenance and the application of pavement management systems (PMSs) to track pavement performance and aid in planning and budgeting. Survey respondents were selected to represent different geographic and climatic regions, airports of different sizes, and airports with different pavement types. Fig- ure 1 shows the locations of the airports that responded to the survey. In total, 50 completed surveys were received, representing approximately an 80% response rate. Figure 2 shows the aver- age daily aircraft operations for the airports included in the survey, and indicates that the responses were representative of airports of all sizes. The average number of daily aircraft operations ranged from one to about three thousand and was obtained from AirNav.com. REPORT ORGANIZATION The next seven chapters are arranged in the technological order of developing, operating, and sustaining an APMS, as shown in Figure 3. The names of the seven technological

steps given in Figure 3 are also the titles of the next seven chapters (chapters two through eight). Chapter nine contains conclusions and suggestions for further research. The report also includes References and a Glossary of Terms. Appendix A presents the survey questionnaire and the survey results that are not included in the body of the report, and Appendix B presents a Catalog of Airport Pavement Preservation Treatments. 8 FIGURE 1 Locations of airports that responded to the survey. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 0 20 40 60 Sequential airport number N um be r o f a ve ra ge d ai ly ai rc ra ft op er at io ns FIGURE 2 Number of average daily aircraft operations for airports included in the survey. Selecting the right section at the right maintenance 7. Operation, sustainability and enhancement 6. Project design and implementation 5. Prioritization, planning and budgeting Network Level: time Project Level: Designing and implementing the right treatment 2. Pavement inventory & evaluation Inventory and database Pavement evaluation Performance prediction 1. Design of APMS Needs of the users Expected results 4. Identification of needs Levels of service Preventive Other pavement preservation needs 3. Technology of pavement preservation treatments FIGURE 3 Main components of an APMS.

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TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Synthesis 22: Common Airport Pavement Maintenance Practices explores how airports implement a pavement maintenance management program, including inspecting and tracking pavement condition, scheduling maintenance, identifying necessary funds, and treating distresses in asphalt and concrete pavements.

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