Minimum Thickness of Concrete Pavement for the F-15 and C-17 Aircraft

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA584018 | Open PDF

Abstract:

The procedure for the design of military rigid airfield pavements contained in the Unified Facilities Criteria 3-260-02 gives the minimum thickness of airfield concrete pavements as 6 in. The introduction of the C-17 aircraft and the requirement that dowel bars be used as load transfer mechanism at joints for airfield pavements bring into question the validity of the 6 in. minimum thickness. With the objective of updating such minimum thickness criteria, a full-scale test section was constructed and trafficked with wheel loads simulating F-15, B-52, and C-17 aircraft traffic. Test section performance was evaluated by recording the number of passes to failure and by utilizing the falling weight deflectometer testing to measure the stiffness and load transfer capability of joints. In addition, strain gages were installed on the vertical face of a longitudinal joint and on the pavement surface on each side of longitudinal joints. Evaluation of the test section performance and analysis of the strain data supported an Engineer Research and Development Center team recommendation that the minimum pavement thickness be 8 in. for any doweled airfield pavement. The team further recommended that a minimum thickness of 11 in. be established for those pavements supporting C-17 aircraft.

Author(s):
Gonzalez, Carlos R. ; Barker, Walter R. ; Bianchini, Alessandra
Author Organization(s):
ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER VICKSBURG MS GEOTECHNICAL AND STRUCTURES LAB
Descriptive Note:
Final rept.
Supplementary Note:
The original document contains color images. DOI: 10.21236/ADA584018
Pagination:
0099

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
ERDC/GSL-TR-13-34
Monitor Series:
USACE
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_1.2_Force Preparation; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_4.6_Engineering; JCA_4.6.1_General Engineering; JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_4.7.2_Installation Services; JCA_4.7_Base and Installations Support; JCA_5.3.3_Develop Strategy; JCA_5.3.4_Develop Courses of Action; JCA_5.3.5_Analyze Courses of Action; JCA_1.2.5_Lessons Learned; JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_8_Building Partnerships
Communities of Interest:
Counter WMD
Descriptor(s):
*CONCRETE, *MILITARY AIRCRAFT, *PAVEMENTS, *THICKNESS, ACCELERATED TESTING, FAILURE(MECHANICS), LOADS(FORCES)
Field(s)/Group(s):
Aircraft, Terminal Flight Facilities, Ceramics, Refractories and Glass, Construction Equipment, Materials and Supplies, Mechanics
Keyword(s):
FULL SCALE TEST SECTIONS, MINIMUM THICKNESS, RIGID PAVEMENTS, STRAIN GAUGES, F 15 AIRCRAFT, C 17 AIRCRAFT, B 52 AIRCRAFT, FWD(FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER)
Report Date:
2013 Jul 01
Creation Date:
2013 Sep 25