Rutting in Flexible Airfield Pavements: Perspectives Based on Full-scale Test Results

Several researchers have attempted to model the development of rutting in airport flexible pavements, but with limited success. With the arrival of new generation of heavy, large aircrafts, this issue is of serious concern, especially due to lack of performance data for new generation aircraft. Based on test results from a full-scale, state-of-the-art airport pavement test facility, it is concluded that reliable prediction of permanent deformation in airport flexible pavements is a daunting task owing to the complexities arising from aircraft loading sequence, gear offset and gear offset sequence and climatic conditions. An adequate forecast of any of these, especially the loading sequence and offset sequence, for a 20-year design is almost impossible. Thus, a pragmatic way to address rutting in airport flexible pavements is to ensure that the pavement system exhibits a stable subgrade permanent deformation performance and thus limit the total anticipated surface rutting to acceptable levels.