Performance Evaluation of Improved Flexible Runway Pavement under Aircraft Loads

Safe runway pavements are essential for the smooth landing of aircraft. Due to aircraft movements, these pavements are subjected to large dynamic loads that can cause their failure and jeopardise safety. This paper proposes the use of improved cement-based layers to enhance the performance of flexible runway pavements. The performance of such retrofitted runway pavements under both static and moving loads is investigated by experimental study and three-dimensional numerical simulations. Results indicate that the improved cement-based layers can significantly reduce surface deflections in the runways under heavy static and moving loads. Under heavy moving loads, the proposed cement-based layers can distribute the vertical stresses to the surrounding soil area, significantly reduce surface deformations and prevent failure. Findings of this research will contribute towards improved designs of runway pavements resulting in enhanced safety and failure mitigation.