Comparative assessment of airport pavement condition using PCI and ACN-PCN methods

Abstract

A scientific approach is essential for evaluating pavement surface conditions at the network level. The prime objective of airport pavement in terms of functional condition analysis is to focus on the current and future pavement conditions. The Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is a well-known method widely used to assess the surface conditions of airport pavements. The aircraft movement from the Runway while take-off and landing or taxiing at the taxiway and parking at aprons induces a high magnitude of repetitive loads that create excessive stresses due to which pavement layers are affected and distress appears on the surface of the pavement sections. This study computed the analysis of the distress and traffic measurement to evaluate pavement condition index (PCI), Structural condition index (SCI), and FOD index. In addition, the aircraft classification number and pavement classification number (ACN/PCN) methods were applied to all sections of airport branches to estimate the structural bearing capacity of the airport pavement network. By adopting the traditional method of the PCI, the relationship between the pavement condition index and pavement classification number was studied. Finally, based on the combined rating index, a treatment methodology was proposed for the improvement of the existing critical pavement section by using a decision tree (DT).