Analysis of different compaction specifications for airport asphalt construction

Since the Australian Commonwealth government privatised the large Australian airports in the 1990s and gave responsibility for the smaller airports to local government authorities, there has not been a nationally adopted suite of specifications for airport pavement construction, including for airport asphalt. Only in 2018 was a standard specification published for airport asphalt, known as the AfPA Specification, but this has not been adopted by all airport and design consultants. Consequently, the design consultants have adapted and developed their own airport asphalt specifications, including the compaction requirements, some of which differ greatly. Some specifications have retained relative density as the basis for compaction acceptance, whereas others have transitioned to air voids. The different specifications also use different acceptance limits, and different methods, for assessing compaction at and between the paving joints. This research reviews the various approaches to the specification of airport asphalt compaction, including relative density and air voids. Density test results from typical airport asphalt surfacing projects are analysed under different acceptance criteria used by different design consultants as well as the standard specifications. The different specifications in the market showed to have significant impact on the acceptance criteria for field compaction of asphalt and showed the need for a standardised approach to compaction specification to prevent inconsistencies in the quality of airport pavements. These specifications should balance theoretical limits and practical limits. Recommendations are made for how to determine the most appropriate basis of future standard specifications.

• Record URL:
  • http://arrbknowledge.com
• Authors:
  • Bennett, B
  • White, G
• Conference:
  • AfPA International Flexible Pavements Conference, 19th, 2023, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• Publication Date: 2023-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 12p
• Monograph Title: Safely paving the way to carbon zero: 19th AfPA International Flexible Pavements Conference, 30th October-1 November 2023, Brisbane, Qld

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport runways; Airports; Bitumen; Bituminous pavements; Compaction; Density; Pavements; Porosity; Specifications
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ATRI Terms: Airport; Asphalt; Compaction; Pavement; Porosity; Runway; Specifications
• ITRD Terms: 1038: Runway
• Subject Areas: Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01929900
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB Group Limited
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 10 2024 2:18PM