Performance Analysis of Airport Flexible Pavements Subjected to New Generation Aircraft

662 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004.The HWD Deflection Basin Parameters (DBPs) were successfully used to characterize the structural degradation of NAPTF test sections. The ILLI-PAVE structural model was validated for NAPTF by comparing measured (dynamic sensors and HWD) and computed pavement structural responses. The damage potential for B777 trafficking and B747 trafficking do not differ significantly. The initial HWD DBPs and early-life structural responses are related to rutting performance. The NAPTF 1-inch surface upheaval pavement failure criteria did not yield consistent rut depths. A functional failure criteria (limiting rut depth at desired traffic level) is proposed. A 5-inch thick AC surface layer is not sufficient to prevent rutting under NGA loading in spite of having significantly thicker granular layers. Reliable prediction of permanent deformation is a daunting task owing to complexities arising from stress history, gear offset, gear offset sequence and climatic conditions. A pragmatic way to address rutting may be to ensure that the pavement system exhibits a "stable" permanent deformation performance by limiting the stress ratio in the unbound granular layers and subgrade.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD