AIRPORT DESIGN

SUITABLE SITE FOR AN AIROPORT: Considerations:

(i) Operational considerations:
- Airspace needed, navigation characteristics (runway number, length, orientation of runways, enough room to aircraft
- Obstacles as related to flight paths, obstructions must conform to standards set by ICAO
- Approach and landing aids, the visibility
- Potential hazards from topography, environment, cost to remove, alternative site selection
- Weather – visibility, winds, altitude, temperature
(ii) Social considerations:
- Proximity to demand centres – population, settlements, distances, availability of other airports, ground accessibility,
facilities, transport, parking, stations from city centre, cost of improvement;
- Noise and pollution (limitations above residential and service schools, business centre areas
- Land use – planned and affected or influenced by the airport and potential changes
(iii) Environmental considerations:
- Noise level above residential and CBD areas and levels of air and water qualities
- Ecological processes – land use, coverage, wild life
- Domestic and industrial waste
(iv) Cost considerations:
- Topography – location, water courses, slopes, drainage and cost for alterations
- Soils and construction materials
- Services – power, water, sewage, drainage, telephone, modern communications
- Land values as compared with other possible uses and acquiring land for extensions
- Costs of equipments
PRACTICAL AND ULTIMATE CAPACITY
Practical capacity is defined as the number of aircraft operations during a specified interval of time corresponding to
a tolerable level of average delay. The practical capacity is used extensively in design.
Ultimate capacity is the maximum number of aircraft operations that can be accommodated during a specified interval
of time when there is a continuous demand for service (that is there is always an aircraft to take off or to land). This
definition is also referred to as saturation capacity or the maximum throughput rate. The ultimate capacity does not
include delay but for design purposes the elements of delay must be considered.
AERODROME REFERENCE CODE AND AIRPORT CLASSIFICATION
(i) The Aerodrome Reference Code specifies the length and width of runways, the respective strips as related to wings
spans and outer main gear wheel span and gives longitudinal and transversal gradients. The Table below gives Code
numbers for lengths in general. Wing spans corresponds to Code letters and outer gear wheel spans.
Aerodrome Reference Code
Code number Ref. field length Code letter Wing span
1 Less than 800m A ≤ 15m
2 800m ≤ 1200m B 15m ≤ 24m
3 1200m ≤ 1800m C 24m ≤ 36m
4 1800m or more D 36m ≤ 52m
- - E 52m ≤ 65m
- - F 65m ≤ 80m
The Airport Classification is based on length of runways and specifies widths, gradients and other properties.
Classification of runways: ICAO classifies runways by length, width and gradients.
Taxiway should have length short as possible; width 22,5m; longitudinal and transverse gradients 1,5%, Turning radius
120m; Distance to runway and terminal building 150m; Exit of turns 300 recommended.
Taxiways design is determined by the volume of air traffic, runway configuration, location of terminal building and
other factors. The most important recommendations are: (i) Taxiway routes to be direct and uncomplicated as straight
lines and large radii curves (ii) Whenever possible not to cross active runways or other taxiways (iii) Sufficient number
of taxiways to be provided to avoid congestion and complicated routes between exit points and apron areas.
Table 1. Airport classification
 Type Basic runway length (m) Pavement Maximum longitudinal
Maximum Minimum width (m) gradient (%)
A - 2100 45 1,5
B 2099 1500 45 1,5
C 1499 900 30 1,5
D 899 750 22,5 2,0
E 749 600 18 2,0

Table 2. Taxiway geometry

ICAO airport Width Maximum longitudinal Minimum transverse
classification (m) gradient (%) gradient (%)
A 22,5 1,5 1,5
B 22,5 1,5 1,5
C 15,0 3,0 1,5
D 9,9 3,0 2,0
E 7,5 3,0 2,0

RUNWAYS: Runway Orientation is in the direction of prevailing winds from the Wind Rose with no obstructions
from all approaches and no noise problems from aircraft landing or taking-off. Aircraft do not maneuver safely when
the wind contains large component of right angle wind to the direction of travel. The point the “crosswind” becomes
excessive depends on size and operating characteristics of aircraft. Limiting crosswind is 20-25km/h for large planes.
Wind Rose Method is graphical procedures for using the wind rose for “best” orientation with 10 consecutive years of
wind data according to velocity, direction and frequency used.
Runway capacity depends on reliable percentages of various groups of aircraft and is limited by the air traffic control
measure, especially to have a minimum safe allowable separation between aircraft during landing and taking-off.

RUNWAY LENGTH
The factors that have bearing on runway length may be grouped into several categories:
(i) Performance requirements imposed by aircraft manufacturers and operators
(ii) Environment of the airport
(iii) Operating take-off and landing gross mass for each aircraft type
(iv) Conditions: airport and cruise altitude, headwind, speed, surface wind; temperature, runway slope, payload, fuel.
The steps in runway length determination are outlined below with the use of an example:
1. Operating mass empty of the aircraft – example 60 000kg
2. Determine the payload – example 16 000kg
3. Determine the fuel reserve – example 5 500kg
4. Calculate total landing mass: 60 000+16 000+5 500=81 000kg, not to exceed max. structural mass of the aircraft;
5. Fuel to climb to cruise altitude (example 4 500kg), to descend to airport (example 500kg) and to cruise at an altitude
of 10 000m at a certain speed (example 35 000kg) which gives total 40 000kg
6. Therefore, the take-off mass is 81 000+40 000= 121 000kg, does not exceed max. structural mass (ex. 150 000kg)
7. Consider airport conditions, use the approved flight manual for the aircraft and determine length from a table.
8. Correction of runway length: altitude corrections and Temperature corrections.
9. add safety extensions.
Summary of input data for determined design aircraft: The length is a trip between two airports under conditions
of cruise altitude, conditions en-route, climb and decent, headwind in cruise in km/hr; speed in km/h, airport altitude
and surface wind, runway slope, airport temperature, operating mass empty in kilograms, fuel reserve in kilograms.
From the relevant table find: Code number for the runway length, according to wing span the width of the runway
plus shoulders, the maximum transverse and longitudinal slope and slope change and the effective gradient. The width
is also determined from the table.
AIRPORT RUNWAY PAVEMENT
Basic investigations and considerations: Conditions survey in case of existing runway; Soil survey; Field and
laboratory tests (Standard Penetration Test, DCP; The past history; The quality of pavement materials; Preparation of
samples for: Particle Size Distribution; Plastic Limit, Liquid Limit and Plastic Index; Moisture-Density Relationship;
Other required tests: Shrinkage factor; Permeability Test; Determination of Organic Contents; Modulus of Sub-grade
Reaction (Plate bearing test); CBR test on laboratory compacted soil; CBR tests (field in-situ tests).
Principles of pavement design: Determine the design aircraft; Convert of aircraft gear configuration; Determine the
pavement thickness with proper computations and from relevant graphs as related to traffic and CBRs.

AIRCRAFT CLASSIFICATION NUMBER (ACN) and PAVEMENT CLASSIFICATION NUMBER (PCN)

The determination of these numbers is based on methods of charts, based on data from operating manuals and the ICAO
computer program and the aerodrome design manual. The numbers assist in flight planning and design.
Aircraft Classification Number (ACN) is a number expressing the relative effect of an aircraft on a pavement for a
specified sub-grade category. ACN values are calculated for flexible and rigid pavements, if the aircraft gross weight
and runway sub-grade strength are known. The ACN value can be determined from charts.
Pavement Classification Number (PCN) is a number expressing the bearing strength of a pavement for unrestricted
operations. It is reported in the so called Jeppesen charts in a format such as this example 24/F/C/Y/T as follows;
 24 is the PCN
 F is the type of pavement where F = Flexible; R = Rigid
 C is the sub-grade strength:
where D = Ultra Low (k = 20 MN/m3/ CBR = 3 or 3-4) Code D
C = Low (k = 40 MN/m3/ CBR = 6 or 4-8) Code C
B = Medium (k = 80 MN/m3/ CBR = 10 or 8-13) Code B
A = High (k = 150 MN/m3 / CBR = 13-15) Code A
 Y is the tyre pressure where W = High, no pressure limit Code W
X = Medium, limited to 217psi – Code X
Y = Low, limited to 145psi – Code Y
Z = Very Low, limited to 73psi – Code Z
 T is the PCN classification where T = Technical Evaluation
U = Aircraft Experience
The factors that affect the classification numbers are shown in the Table below:
ACN PCN
Aircraft Gross Weight (Variable) Aircraft Gross Weight (Variable)
Landing Gear Geometry (Fixed) Landing Gear Geometry (Fixed)
Allowable Pavement Stress (Fixed) Allowable Pavement Stress (Fixed)
Sub-grade Strength Modulus (Variable) Pavement Thickness (Variable)
Pavement Thickness (Variable) Pavement Surface Material (Fixed)
Pavement Surface Material (Fixed) Sub-grade Strength Modulus (Variable)
ACN values must be less than or equal to the airport PCN for unrestricted use. It is not recommended for an aircraft to
operate from airports that have a lower PCN number than the ACN number obtained from the charts from a particular
study. The high ACN number will increase the pavement fatigue damage and may result in ultimate pavement failure.
PCN 80/R/B/W/T: Bearing strength of airport runway rests on medium strength sub-grade assessed to be 80 and the
tyre pressure has no limitation – this is pavement classification by technical evaluation.
PCN 50/F/A/W/U: The sub-grade strength is 50, flexible pavement, high strength, no limitation of tyre pressure,
evaluation by aircraft experience – this is the pavement classification.
 AIRPORT RUNWAY PAVEMENT DESIGN

DETERMINATION OF DESIGN AIRCRAFT AND ANNUAL DEPRTURES FOR PAVEMEN DESIGN

Needed input: aircraft types with their gear types; forecast annual departures, max. take-off weight, incl. wheel load.
To determine the design aircraft, compare the required pavement thickness for all aircrafts, determined using design
curves and relevant data. The aircraft which requires the greatest pavement thickness is the design aircraft.
Group the forecast traffic into landing gear groups and convert all aircraft types into the gear of the design aircraft using
the appropriate table to multiply. All aircraft should be grouped into this configuration.
Conversion factors according to wheels
To convert from To Multiply departures
by
Single wheel Dual wheel 0,8
Single wheel Dual tandem 0,5
Dual wheel Dual tandem 0,6
Double dual wheel Dual tandem 1,0
Dual tandem Single wheel 2,0
Dual tandem Dual wheel 1,7
Dual wheel Single wheel 1,3
Double dual tandem Dual wheel 1,7
Convert the annual departures into the design aircraft configuration, using the basic expression/formula:
Log R1 = Log R2 x (W2/W1)1/2
Where R 1 = Annual departures of the design aircraft; R2 = Annual departures expressed in design aircraft
W1 = Wheel load of design aircraft; W2 = Wheel load of an aircraft in question
Summarize to find the total equivalent annual departures by the design aircraft.
Use the relevant graphs for design of pavement layers for the sub-grade CBR, CBR for the sub-base material, the gross
weight and number of departures. Appropriate graphs indicate the total pavement thickness, the compaction depth,
thickness of asphalt/bituminous surfacing and the drainage structure.
The design curves determine the total pavement thickness and the surface course thickness of the critical areas
which are the runways. For non-critical areas (aprons, taxiways) for the base and sub-base thickness a factor of 0,9
should be used. The minimum permitted is 0,7 factor of the thickness of the base for non-critical areas.

HOT MIX ASPHALT PAVEMENT is the top choice for airport runway pavements (super- smooth, durable,
minimize runway downtime, can be constructed quickly and rehabilitated quickly) has strength, smoothness, speed
construction, low maintenance, less complexity than concrete entails, low initial and life-cycle costs. Advantages of
Hot Mix Asphalt pavement: The maintenance process permits to be shut down during off-peak hours for rehabilitation;
The smoother the pavement lost longer; Surface can be customized to increase skid resistance, lower risk of
hydroplaning; Decrease splash and spray; Absorb noise; Structure below remains intact.
Runway pavement surface type description: Flexible pavement (runway, taxiway, aprons) 8-13cm or more; Seal
coat, gravel runway with a treated surface with a spray sealant (asphaltic or resinous) to create a well-textured
waterproof surface with a total thickness of 1-2cm, not in high temperatures; Slurry seals a mixture of well-graded fine
aggregate, mineral filler, emulsified asphalt and water as a surface treatment of previously paved surface.

BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT OVERLAY FOR RUNWAYS:

Bituminous pavement overlays for runways are applicable to both flexible and rigid pavements with a thickness of
75mm applied over flexible pavement of 60-75mm and over rigid of 200-250mm existing pavements. The surface
should be repaired from potholes, irregularities, break-up, depressions and replacement of sub-grade of broken
pavement for drainage. Then light coat of fog is used and layer of high quality hot-mix with appropriate aggregate.
The reasons for overlays are: (i) To prepare for expected overloading; (ii) To maintain satisfactory serviceable level;
(iii) To strengthen the runway for heavy aircraft; (iv) To extent the design life of the runway.
Hot-mix asphalt is a top choice for a smooth, durable runway because of its smoothness, speed of construction,
low maintenance, less complexity than concrete entails, low initial and life-cycle costs