CASE STUDY OF INSULATED PAVEMENT IN JACKMAN, MAINE

Traditionally, detrimental effects of frost action are reduced by thick fills or by excavation and removal of large quantities of frost-susceptible material and replacement with a thick layer of non-frost-susceptible material. However, incorporating an insulating layer within the pavement structure can often provide a cost-effective alternative for protecting the subgrade from frost penetration. In 1986 the runway, taxiway, and parking apron at Newton Field, a small airport in Jackman, Maine, were reconstructed using a layer of extruded polystyrene insulation 51 mm (2 in.) thick as part of the pavement structure. Because test results from the first winter of observation showed substantial frost penetration beneath the runway insulation, four additional test sections of various combinations of insulation and sand subbase thickness were constructed adjacent to the parking apron in 1987. The insulated test sections, which were constructed under tighter controls, on a firm working platform, and in a slightly drier location than the runway, experienced very little frost penetration into the subgrade. The good performance of the insulated test sections as well as runway observations, methods used to investigate insulation integrity, and theories considered to explain the relatively poor performance of some sections of the insulated runway pavement are discussed.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1995/1481/1481-006.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=CASE+STUDY+OF+INSULATED+PAVEMENT+IN+JACKMAN%2C+MAINE&author=M.+Kestler&author=R.+Berg&publication_year=1995
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1481, Environmental Moisture Effects on Transportation Facilities and Nonearth Materials' Thermal Effects on Pavements. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Kestler, Maureen A
  • Berg, Richard L
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 47-55
• Monograph Title: Environmental moisture effects on transportation facilities and nonearth materials' thermal effects on pavements
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1481
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport runways; Electric insulating materials; Field tests; Frost; Frost protection; Insulating materials; Performance evaluations; Polystyrene; Taxiways; Test sections; Thickness
• Uncontrolled Terms: Frost penetration
• Geographic Terms: Jackman (Maine)
• Old TRIS Terms: Aprons
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Design; Highways; Pavements; Terminals and Facilities; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00712979
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 10 1995 12:00AM