Rutting Evaluation of Airport Pavement Granular Layers Considering Stress History Effects

This paper presents performance evaluations of airport pavement granular layer rutting prediction models developed based on laboratory testing and materials characterization. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated P209/P154 aggregate materials were used in the construction and testing of the FAA's National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF) flexible pavement test sections having considerably thick unbound aggregate base and subbase courses. The prediction models were developed based on the laboratory testing of the P209/P154 aggregate materials for both constant and variable type confining pressure conditions applied in triaxial testing. The predictions of the permanent deformation models were compared with laboratory and field measured values to identify the stress history or pavement loading sequence as a primary factor affecting the laboratory rutting evaluations of the NAPTF granular layers. Stress history adjustment factors were successfully developed through laboratory simulations of the field loading scenario to show the significant influence of the previous loading history for accurately predicting rutting potentials.