Challenges with Resurfacing Runways above the Arctic Circle

More than 200 communities in Alaska are not connected to the road system and rely upon the local airport for transportation outside the community. This is true for most communities above the Arctic Circle where the airport provides the lifeblood of goods, transportation, and emergency medical services. Alaska’s rural airports must function year round and support air traffic ranging from the smaller Cessna 208 Caravans to the occasional large cargo plane. Temperatures in this region vary from a record high of greater than 26 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to lower than minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit). Resurfacing these runways presents a unique set of challenges that includes permafrost soil conditions, a short (less than 100 day) construction season where the temperature rarely gets above 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), gravel costs that can exceed $620 per ton, and lack of cross-wind runways. This paper discusses some of the most common challenges of resurfacing runways in the desert, wetland, and tundra landscape north of the Brooks Range Mountains, and solutions addressing those challenges. Techniques discussed include insulated embankment sections and culverts, aggregate blending, soil additives, and half-width construction.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482476.035
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780784482476
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Simon, Douglas P
• Conference:
  • International Airfield and Highway Pavements Conference 2019
  • Location: Chicago Illinois, United States
  • Date: 2019-7-21 to 2019-7-24
• Publication Date: 2019-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: pp 354-361
• Monograph Title: Airfield and Highway Pavements 2019: Innovation and Sustainability in Highway and Airfield Pavement Technology

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport runways; Construction management; Resurfacing; Tundra
• Geographic Terms: Arctic Regions; Brooks Range Mountains (Alaska)
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01728630
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780784482476
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: Jan 28 2020 9:46AM