Performance Model Development for Extended Airport Pavement Life

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Airport Safety and Standards has sponsored the development of methodologies to extend the design life of runways at large and medium hub airports beyond the current standard of 20 years. As part of this effort, various data are being collected from both old and new runways at large and medium hub airports, and are stored in a modified version of FAA PAVEAIR that allows for multi-variable data analysis. Collected data are used to develop preliminary performance prediction models and curves incorporating both structural and functional factors. These prediction models can be used to determine intervention timing or the end of pavement service life. This paper includes a review of the FAA's working definition of pavement service life and a high level illustration of the data collected to date. It also presents the methodology proposed for the development of the performance indicators as well as a new mega index, called the serviceability level that incorporates the performance models through logistic regression analysis.