Performance of Protective Composite Runway Pavement under Moving and Impact Loads

The project aimed to develop new types of composite runway pavement systems with higher resistance to both impact and moving loads compared to the conventional runway pavements. This will reduce maintenance costs of runway pavements and ensure safer landing of aircrafts. High strength concrete and cement mortar was used in the base and sub-base while polypropylene fibers were used to increase the moving and impact load resistance of the proposed multi-layer runway pavement. Drop weight impact tests were conducted (as shown in the Figure) to evaluate the performance of the proposed multi-layer composite and conventional concrete runway pavements under impact loads and also to compare their performance.  A three-dimensional FE model was also developed using ABAQUS which was validated through experimental results and could accurately simulate the runway pavement under both static compression and wheel loadings. Furthermore, large scale FE model was developed to simulate the runway pavement and aircraft interaction under moving and impact loading and to assess the performance of the new types of protective runway pavements.  Results demonstrate the enhanced performance of the proposed multi-layer pavement under both impact and moving loads.