Critical Stresses for Thickness Design of Rigid Pavement Slabs Subjected to Multiple-Axle Heavy Aircraft Gear Loads

Results of three-dimensional Wnite element analyses involving multiple-axle aircraft landing gears loading rigid slabs indicate that the position of the gear relative to the transverse joints may have a signiWcant effect on the magnitude of the critical stress. For six-wheeled aircraft gears such as the B-777 and A-380, the critical load may occur at an offset from the center-edge gear position. Other factors considered in this analysis include the slab size and the subgrade strength.