Initial Evaluation and Structural Contribution from Full Depth Reclamation Technique for Rehabilitation of Airfield Asphalt Pavements

This paper discusses the preliminary findings from a full-scale evaluation of full depth reclamation (FDR) technique and reports the contribution of FDR layers to the overall pavement structural capacity under aircraft loading conditions. A full-scale pavement section, previously trafficked with a heavy tactical aircraft, was selected as a candidate pavement to evaluate the effectiveness of the FDR technique. The existing asphalt pavement exhibited significant structural deterioration with rut depths greater than 59 mm. Nondestructive and semi-intrusive tests were performed to assess the pavement structural condition. The Pavement-Transportation Computer Assisted Structural Engineering (PCASE) software was used to investigate the contribution of the FDR base layers to the overall pavement performance. From this study, the FDR technique improved the structural capacity of a structurally failed asphalt pavement based on falling weight deflectometer data and showed promise as a deployable rehabilitation approach for airfield pavements encountered during contingency aircraft operations in remote locations.