Assessment of Field Compaction of Subbase Material during Construction and Trafficking of Heavy Aircraft using the Superpave Gyratory Compactor

Past full-scale pavement testing at the National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has shown excessive compaction of the subbase layer during trafficking. Modern construction compaction equipment is capable of achieving densities higher than maximum Proctor values at moisture contents drier than optimum conditions. Laboratory testing has been conducted at different moisture contents and confining pressures using the Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC). SGC results were found to be similar to that achieved by modern construction compaction equipment in the field. Different from the Proctor method, the shear work component added by the SGC closely replicates the aggregate crushing mechanisms observed in the field during construction and trafficking. Results suggest that the excessive compaction reported for the subbase after trafficking is, in part, due to abrasion and attrition of the aggregate which reduces particle interlock and promotes additional compaction. Based on the test results, it is recommended to implement SGC based construction specifications in order to prevent excessive compaction from construction and trafficking. After achieving field construction density, the additional compaction observed in SGC test samples was found to be significantly smaller than the actual compaction observed in the pavement during trafficking. The suitability of the SGC to reproduce trafficking compaction in the field due to heavy aircraft loading is still under evaluation. Research efforts are currently directed to find a rational method for determining field compaction energy, which will lead to the development of a correlation between SGC test results and material field performance during compaction and trafficking. Using compaction energy principles this correlation would allow determination of the number of roller passes required during construction in order to achieve any desired density-moisture condition. Preliminary results on the development of this approach are presented in this study.

• Record URL:
  http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=343e8be2-ef8e-4eed-ac60-578d28c012ff&f=P10022-Cary.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Authors:
  • Cary, C E
  • Kumpel, C
  • Bagriacik, A
  • Cohen, R
  • Clark, J
  • Sukumaran, B
  • Lecorvaisier, M
  • Daouadji, A
• Conference:
  • 2014 FAA Worldwide Airport Technology Transfer Conference
  • Location: Galloway New Jersey, United States
  • Date: 2014-8-5 to 2014-8-7
• Publication Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: 2014 FAA Worldwide Airport Technology Transfer Conference Proceedings: Innovations in Airport Safety and Pavement Technology

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Airport runways; Compaction; Compactors; Gyratory testing machines; Laboratory tests; Moisture content; Pavement performance; Paving; Subbase (Pavements)
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Construction; Pavements; I52: Construction of Pavements and Surfacings;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01538290
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: P10022
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 25 2014 8:59AM