Paving the way

That’s not to mention the planned development for greenfield sites such as Western Sydney Airport, or the expansion underway at some of Australia’s large regional centres, such as the runway expansion project at Sunshine Coast Airport.

This significant amount of activity also provides opportunities for further developing the industry’s knowledge and understanding of airfield pavements.

Despite common misconceptions from those not involved in the industry, pavements for airports are not the same as those on roads and highways. Pavements at airports are generally much thicker and stronger and constructed to much more stringent requirements. This is reflective of the fact that the aircraft using them are generally much heavier, have higher tyre pressures, are less stable and are less tolerant of slippery, weak, bumpy or defective pavements, than cars. Airport pavements also need to be maintained in a condition that protects aircraft engines from damage caused by ingestion of loose stones and debris on the surface.

Unfortunately, unless you are part of the relatively small group of airfield pavement engineering specialists who have a wealth of knowledge on this particular issue, there has not been a central place where a newcomer to the industry could look to for guidance. With this in mind the AAA commissioned the development of a new Airport Practice Note (APN) titled Airfield Pavement Essentials.

The aim of this document is to provide general guidance and information to airport managers and operators regarding airport pavement design, materials, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation. While it is not intended to be relied upon for project-specific solutions, it does aim to give those with an interest or responsibility for managing airfield pavements a better understanding of the concepts and important considerations involved.

As with most of the AAA’s APNs, this document has been produced with our regional airport members in mind, as we recognise that the in-house engineering expertise often found at major airports is not readily available at many regional airports. With this document as a useful reference point, we believe that many regional airport managers (or interested Councillors) will now be able to be better informed when considering undertaking any pavement construction or maintenance activity.

Following the general divestment of Australian airport ownership by the Commonwealth Government, there has been no centralised or government-endorsed organisation responsible for the design, specification or construction of airfield pavements in Australia. This responsibility is now vested in the private organisations and local government authorities responsible for the management and operation of airports, as well as their consultants and contractors.

The information presented in the AAA’s Airfield Pavement Essentials reflects the views, opinions and substantial experience of the author, Dr Greg White. However, where appropriate, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policies are also referred to, as well as guidance documents published by other organisations.

The contents of this new AAA publication provides a historical perspective on airfield pavements, before exploring in more detail pavement basics, pavement design, pavement construction and pavement maintenance. The document also recognises the differences in pavement design methods used at some rural and remote airports, where alternative solutions can be more appropriate given the light aircraft and ground vehicles using the asset.

The AAA will be releasing the Airfield Pavement Essentials document at its upcoming Pavements and Lighting Forum, scheduled from May 1-3 in Sydney, part of the AAA’s commitment to provide the aviation industry with comprehensive technical training. The document will be freely available to AAA members via its member centre portal and we are confident that it will be an incredibly useful document for many regional airports to be better informed about this essential infrastructure asset.

Pavements for airports are not the same as those on roads and highways.