AC 150/5320-6F, Airport Pavement Design And Evaluations .

AdvisoryCircularU.S. Departmentof TransportationFederal AviationAdministrationSubject: Airport Pavement Design andEvaluationDate: 11/10/2016Initiated by: AAS-100AC No: 150/5320-6FChange:1.Purpose.This advisory circular (AC) provides guidance to the public on the design andevaluation of pavements used by aircraft at civil airports. For reporting of pavementstrength, see AC 150/5335-5C, Standardized Method of Reporting Airport PavementStrength – PCN.2.Cancellation.This AC cancels AC 150/5320-6E, Airport Pavement Design and Evaluation, datedSeptember 30, 2009.3.Application.The FAA recommends the guidance and standards in this AC for airport pavementdesign and evaluation. In general, use of this AC is not mandatory. However, use ofthe standards in this AC is mandatory for all projects funded under the AirportImprovement Program (AIP) or with revenue from the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC)Program.This AC does not apply to the design of pavements that are not used by aircraft, i.e.,roadways, parking lots, and access roads.4.Principal Changes.This AC contains the following changes:1.Reformatted to comply with FAA Order 1320.46, FAA Advisory Circular System.2.Revised text and design examples to incorporate changes in FAARFIELD v1.41pavement design software. Also added general guidance on how to useFAARFIELD.3.Simplified and moved guidance on economic analysis to Chapter 1.

11/10/2016AC 150/5320-6F4.Included all pavement design in Chapter 3, including previous guidance onpavement design for airplanes weighing less than 30,000 pounds (13 610 kg).5.Defined “Regular use” for pavement design as at least 250 annual departures,which is equivalent to 500 annual operations.6.Removed information on embedded steel and continuously reinforced concretepavement.7.Added table on allowable modulus values and Poisson’s Ratios used inFAARFIELD.8.Added tables for minimum layer thickness for flexible and rigid pavementstructures.9.Added detail on reinforcement at a reinforced isolation joint.10.Added detail for transition between PCC and HMA pavement sections.11.Added appendix, Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Using Falling-Weight TypeImpulse Load Devices in the Evaluation of Airport Pavements.5.Related Reading Material.The publications listed in Appendix F provide further guidance and detailed informationon the design and evaluation of airport pavements.6.Units.Through this AC, customary English units will be used followed by “soft” (rounded)conversion to metric units for tables and figures and hard conversion for the text. TheEnglish units govern.7.Feedback on this AC.If you have suggestions for improving this AC, you may use the Advisory CircularFeedback form at the end of this AC.Michael O’DonnellDirector of Airport Safety and Standardsii

11/10/2016AC 150/5320-6FContentsParagraphPageChapter 1 . AIRPORT PAVEMENTS—THEIR FUNCTION AND PURPOSES . 1-11.11.2General. . 1-1Construction Specifications and Geometric Standards. . 1-11.2.11.2.21.3Airfield Pavements. . 1-21.3.11.3.21.3.31.3.41.41.51.6Specifications. . 1-1Geometric Standards. . 1-2Types of Pavement. . 1-2Selection of Pavement Type. . 1-2Cost Effectiveness Analysis. . 1-2Pavement Structure. . 1-4Skid Resistance. . 1-6Staged Construction. . 1-7Design of Structures. 1-7Chapter 2 . SOIL INVESTIGATIONS AND EVALUATION . 2-12.1General. . 2-12.1.12.1.22.1.32.1.42.2Soil Conditions. . 2-22.2.12.2.22.2.32.2.42.3Subsurface Borings and Pavement Cores of Existing Pavement. . 2-3Number of Borings, Locations, and Depths. 2-3Boring Log. . 2-4In-place Testing. . 2-4Number of Cores . 2-5Soil Tests. 2-52.4.12.4.22.52.62.7Site Investigation. . 2-2Procedures. . 2-2Soil Maps. . 2-2Aerial Photography. . 2-2Surveying and Sampling. . 2-32.3.12.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.4Soil. . 2-1Classification System. . 2-1Subgrade Support. . 2-1Drainage. . 2-1Soil Testing Requirements. . 2-5Moisture-Density Relations of Soils. . 2-5Soil Strength Tests. . 2-6Subgrade Stabilization. . 2-8Seasonal Frost. . 2-10iii

11/10/2016AC 150/5320-6FContents st Susceptibility. . 2-10Depth of Frost Penetration. . 2-11Free Water. . 2-11Frost Design. . 2-11Permafrost. . 2-112.8.12.8.2Depth of Thaw Penetration. . 2-11Muskeg. . 2-12Chapter 3 . PAVEMENT DESIGN . 3-13.13.23.33.43.53.63.73.83.93.103.113.12Design Considerations. . 3-1FAA Pavement Design. . 3-1Flexible Pavements. . 3-1Full-Depth Asphalt Pavements. . 3-1Rigid Pavements. . 3-1Stabilized Base Course. . 3-2Base or Subbase Contamination. . 3-2Drainage Layer . 3-2Subgrade Compaction. . 3-3Swelling Soils. . 3-4Pavement Life. . 3-5Pavement Design Using FAARFIELD. . .12.163.12.173.12.183.12.19Application. . 3-7Cumulative Damage Factor (CDF). . 3-7Current Version FAARFIELD. . 3-7Overview of FAARFIELD Program. . 3-7FAARFIELD Pavement Design Process. . 3-8Aircraft Traffic Considerations. . 3-9Non-Aircraft Vehicles. . 3-10Pass-to-Coverage Ratio. . 3-11Annual Departures. . 3-13Cumulative Damage Factor. . 3-13FAARFIELD Material Properties. . 3-15Minimum Layer Thickness. . 3-16Typical Pavement Sections. . 3-18Frost and Permafrost Design. . 3-20Seasonal Frost. . 3-20Complete Frost Protection. . 3-20Limited Subgrade Frost Penetration. . 3-20Reduced Subgrade Strength. . 3-21Permafrost. . 3-213.13 Flexible Pavement Design. . 3-22iv

11/10/2016AC 150/5320-6FContents 3.13.63.13.73.13.8PageGeneral . 3-22Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Surfacing. . 3-22Base Course. . 3-23Subbase. . 3-24Subgrade. . 3-25FAARFIELD Flexible Pavement Design Failure Mode. . 3-26Flexible Design Example. . 3-26Detailed Example FAARFIELD Compaction Table. . 3-383.14 Rigid Pavement Design. . 3.14.16General. . 3-40Concrete Surface Layer. 3-40Base / Subbase Layers. . 3-41Subgrade: Determination of Modulus (E Value) for Rigid PavementSubgrade. . 3-41Frost Effects. . 3-42FAARFIELD Calculation of Concrete Slab Thickness. . 3-42Concrete Flexural Strength. . 3-43Jointing of Concrete Pavements. 3-44Joint Type Categories and Details . 3-44Dowels and Tie Bars for Joints. . 3-50Joint Sealants and Fillers. . 3-51Joint Layout and Spacing. . 3-51Joint Spacing. . 3-53Jointing Considerations for Future Pavement Expansion. . 3-56Transition Between PCC and HMA. . 3-56Rigid Design Example. . 3-573.15 Pre-stressed, Precast, Reinforced and Continuously Reinforced ConcretePavement. . 3-663.16 Aggregate Turf Pavements. . 3-663.16.13.16.23.16.3Materials. . 3-66Thickness. . 3-66Aggregate Turf Pavement Example. . 3-663.17 Heliport Design. . 3-673.18 Passenger Loading Bridge. . 3-68Chapter 4 . PAVEMENT REHABILITATION . 4-14.1General. . 4-14.1.14.1.24.1.3Reason for Rehabilitation. . 4-1Full Width Section. . 4-1Transitions. 4-1v

11/10/2016AC 150/5320-6FContents (CONTINUED)Paragraph4.24.34.44.5Condition of Existing Pavement Structure. . 4-1Material Selection Considerations. . 4-2Overlay Design. . 4-2Overlays of Existing Flexible Pavements. . 4-34.5.14.5.24.5.34.6FAARFIELD Design HMA Overlay of an Existing Flexible Pavement. . 4-3Nonstructural HMA Overlays. . 4-4Concrete Overlay of an Existing Flexible Pavement. . 4-5Overlays of Existing Rigid Pavements. . 4-64.6.14.6.24.74.8PageStructural Condition Index (SCI). . 4-6Cumulative Damage Factor Used (CDFU). . 4-7Hot Mix Asphalt Overlays of Existing Rigid Pavements. . 4-10SCI Less Than 100. . 4-104.8.1HMA Overlay Over PCC Example. 4-104.9 SCI Equal to 100. . 4-124.10 Concrete Overlays of Existing Concrete Pavements. . 4-134.10.14.10.24.10.34.10.44.10.5Fully Unbonded Concrete Overlay. . 4-13Bonded Concrete Overlays. . 4-15Jointing of Concrete Overlays. . 4-16Previously Overlaid Rigid Pavement. . 4-16Treatment of Thick HMA Overlays on Existing Rigid Pavements. . 4-164.11 Alternatives for Rehabilitation of Existing Pavement. . 4-174.12 Preparation of the Existing Pavement Surface for an Overlay. . 4-194.12.14.12.24.12.34.12.4Flexible Pavements. . 4-19Rigid Pavements. . 4-20Bonded Concrete Overlays. . 4-21Materials and Methods. . 4-21Chapter 5 . PAVEMENT STRUCTURAL EVALUATION . 5-15.15.2Purposes of Structural Evaluation. 5-1Evaluation Process. . 5-15.2.15.2.25.2.35.2.45.2.55.3Records Research. . 5-1Site Inspection. . 5-1Pavement Condition Index. 5-1Sampling and Testing. .

AC No: 150/5320-6F Change: 1. Purpose. This advisory circular (AC) provides guidance to the public on the design and evaluation of pavements used by aircraft at civil airports. For reporting of pavement strength, see AC 150/5335-5C, Standardized Method of Reporting Airport Pavement Strength – PCN. 2. Cancellation. This AC cancels AC 150/5320-6E,