ABSTRACT

Experience and research documents clearly demonstrate that airfield runways must provide adequate friction between an aircraft tire and a wet surface for safe operation during landing and in the event of a rejected take-off. Various aviation agencies specify limiting friction values for newly constructed surface layers and other limiting friction values for existing surfaces before initiating maintenance. For example, the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA, 2004) specifies three friction-level classifications: minimum, maintenance planning, and new construction (see Table 1).