Airfield & Roadway Pavement Management at U.S. Air Force Bases Worldwide

Problem Statement and Objectives

Since 1999, ARA has provided the U.S. Air Force with airfield and roadway pavement management services at 6 to 10 Air Force bases worldwide per year. Each base typically has between 5 and 20 million square feet of airside pavement - about the equivalent of a mid- to large-size commercial airport. ARA's services include pavement condition assessments and implementation of the MicroPAVER pavement management software.

ARA inspection crews perform Pavement Condition Index (PCI) surveys on each runway, taxiway, and ramp pavement and update the detailed construction history provided by the Air Force. The military is very concerned about the surface condition on their airfields, especially in regards to foreign object damage (FOD); thus, these inspections are carried out judiciously. ARA typically has deployed field crews with three areas of focus: section verification and sample unit layout, PCI inspectors, and CAD map verification and update. From ARA's decades of experience of collecting PCI data in a busy airport environment, we have refined the process so that all of the data is collected safely, efficiently, and accurately. For example, any changes determined by the layout person are radioed to the rest of the crew so that the sample units and maps are adjusted accordingly. Our inspection vehicle not only serves to transport the equipment and crew, but it also houses a laptop for the CAD operator to update the detailed sample unit maps while in the field. ARA has also integrated advances in digital photography and global positioning system (GPS) technologies by tagging each image with the GPS coordinates, thereby precisely locating a particular distress or feature on these sometimes massive airfields.

Once collected, the pavement condition data is analyzed, processed, and uploaded into the MicroPAVER database. ARA staff then conducts a MicroPAVER analysis to assess the pavement repair needs and to assist the Air Force in developing future pavement repair programs.

Results and Benefits

The primary deliverables that ARA provides the Air Force are comprehensive pavement management reports and an updated MicroPAVER database. Each report provides detailed results for PCI, FOD, friction, and ACN/PCN evaluations, which all get incorporated into an overall Engineering Assessment rating. In addition, the financial implications of several budget scenarios are presented using supplemental software that accepts the output from the MicroPAVER maintenance and rehabilitation plan.

Over the years, ARA's efforts have helped the U.S. Air Force and its civil engineering support agency (AFCESA) maintain one of the most complete and comprehensive airfield pavement management programs in the world. Through the use of the PCI data and MicroPAVER analysis, several Major Commands have been able to demonstrate improved pavement conditions over the past several years.