Analytical study on structural remaining life of airfield pavement using FWD

This paper aims to develop a life remaining model for airfield pavement, from the deflection data obtained using a falling weight deflectometer (FWD) over the years. The case study is an existing airport with more than one half million passengers every year. Data obtained from a testing campaign with FWD conducted in 2014 are used as input data in a “back-calculation” program to obtain the modulus of elasticity for the pavement layers. Bearing capacity is evaluated according to the method described by the ICAO. Remaining life is analysed in terms of cumulative damage factor (CDF) using the freeware computer software FAARFIELD. An impairment model is obtained for each of the zones of the pavement based on its bearing capacity. The sensitivity of the model to influence parameters, such as landing gear and takeoff frequency, is evaluated. After several FWD test campaigns in 2016 and 2018, the model is calibrated and results are compared. The results obtained show that the proposed methodology, which combines non-destructive testing with analytical methods, is useful for airport pavement structural evaluation. The analysis also shows the sensitivity of FAARFIELD to key input parameters.