Airport pavements need to meet certain performance requirements to facilitate safe aircraft ground operations. These requirements include:

• Good rideability
• Good friction and drainage characteristics
• High strength to withstand heavy wheel loads and high tyre pressure
• Resistance to fuel spillages and jet blast
• Economic maintenance

Due to the physical properties of concrete, a concrete pavement can carry high wheel loads. These properties also make it resistance to damage from fuel and jet blast. Texturing the surface with a brushed or grooved finish provides adequate friction and drainage characteristics. A high standard of joint construction will provide a good ride quality. Concrete pavements therefore, meet the performance required for airfield pavements.

Guidance Notes

The Airfields Task Group produces technical Guidance Notes (GN) on all aspects of concrete airfield pavements.

The following Guidance Notes have been published:

• GN01 – Concrete Joints & Joint Sealing
• GN02 – Design and Evaluation Methods
• GN03 – Principles of Design and Assessment
• GN04 – Surface finish, regularity and texture
• GN05 – Keyed longitudinal joints for concrete airfield pavements

The following Guidance Notes are currently being produced:

• Pavement Quality Concrete for Airfield Pavements
• Concrete Mix Design and Construction
• Hydraulically Bounds Bases
• Rapid Repair Techniques