ABSTRACT
Aircraft have evolved since their introduction, particularly following the rapid advances in aircraft technology developed during WWII. The development of more demanding aircraft requires pavement upgrades to runways, taxiways and aprons. Similarly, when the aircraft operating into a particular airport is upgraded to a more demanding aircraft, pavement upgrades are also triggered. Pavement upgrades required by more demanding aircraft include the physical dimensions of pavements, the strength of the pavement and the resistance of the pavement surface to high shear stresses. Where pavement dimensional and strength upgrades are performed at airports with single runways, expedient construction methods are required, such as foamed bitumen stabilized base and rapid setting concrete. For surface shear resistance, the high tyre pressures of mode demanding aircraft are critical and the current international system of pavement strength rating should be amended to reflect the combined impact of both tyre pressure and wheel load on asphalt surfaces.
