29 Apr 2026

Forward Operating Remote Camera for Engineering—Construction Assurance and Monitoring (FORCE-CAM), Generation 1

Abstract: This research delivered a first-generation, real-time construction monitoring capability, enabling visual situational awareness for off-site subject matter experts. The live-streamed and recorded data can be visualized from a remote computer desktop to aid in identifying non-conformance issues during active paving operations or during concrete damage assessment and repair operations. Experimentation on asphalt paving and skid-steer construction equipment using direct electro-optical and thermal sensors provided validation of the efficacy of this solution.

17 Apr 2026

Restoring the Flexible Pavement Test Track to Monitor Impact of Military Ground Vehicles

Abstract: Full-scale tests for pavement design, construction, evaluation, and maintenance benefit from designated facilities where pavement elements can be controlled and monitored. A loop test track at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Vicksburg campus was constructed between September 1986 and September 1988. This report describes activities to restore that pavement test track through reconstruction. ERDC constructed a road structure consisting of 4 in. of asphalt concrete over 6 in. of aggregate base course over native subgrade material on the site of the original test track. The pavement structure was instrumented with earth pressure cells and moisture probes at the subgrade, or base, course interface. Material testing and as-constructed properties are documented herein to allow future traffic studies that use the constructed test track to create numerical simulations and calibrate their embedded models with real-world data. This report details construction activities and material properties for future reference.

14 Jan 2026

Field Demonstration of Magnesium Phosphate Concrete Pavement Repairs for Resilience to Heat and Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants Exposure

Magnesium phosphate concrete (MPC) represents a possible alternative to portland cement concrete (PCC) that may be more resilient to unique types of distress created by aircraft operated by the United States Armed Forces. Aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey expose airfield pavement to petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) as well as surface temperatures up to 400°F. These conditions cause damage to the surface of concrete pavements, resulting in the exposure of aggregates, erosion of the surface, and the creation of foreign object debris. The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has developed a nonproprietary MPC mixture, which in this study was refined and used to implement full and partial-depth repairs of a V-22 parking apron experiencing heat and POL damage at Cannon Air Force Base.

30 Oct 2025

Full-Scale Evaluation of Multi-Axial, Multi-Aperture Shape Geogrids in Flexible Pavement Applications

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) con-structed a full-scale pavement test section to evaluate the performance of three recently developed multi-axial, multi-aperture shape geogrids, referred to as HX5.5, NX750, and NX-Dev, in asphalt-surfaced highway applications. The test section consisted of a 4.2 in. thick and a 3.8 in. thick hot-mix asphalt layer placed over a 6 in. thick and 4 in. thick crushed aggregate layer, respectively. Underlying the crushed aggregate layer was a 2 ft thick clay subgrade that had a 6% California Bearing Ratio. Simulated truck traffic was applied using ERDC’s heavy vehicle simulator–transportation with a dual-wheel tandem axle truck gear. Rutting performance and instrumentation response data were monitored at multiple traffic intervals. Observed rutting in the geogrid test items was approximately one-third of that in the unstabilized item, in which was a meaningful performance improvement. Instrumentation response data indicated that the geogrid inclusion pro-vided a stiffening effect that altered the anticipated pavement response. An analytical investigation showed that traditional layered elastic analysis techniques did not adequately describe the pavement response with geogrid inclusion. A robust model that included material nonlinearity and a geogrid interface model provided a closer approximation to the measured subsurface response.

29 Sep 2025

Demonstration of Innovative Patching Technologies for Asphalt Pavement Sustainment

Abstract: iHMA and RapidPatch are two asphalt repair materials developed at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) to provide asphalt patching materials that are readily available, support rapid return to traffic, and yield high quality, long-term performance solutions. The primary objective of this project was to complete multiple demonstrations of asphalt patching with iHMA and RapidPatch at four installations in different climate zones around the United States. These locations included Fort Wainwright (Alaska), Fort Drum (New York), Fort Huachuca (Arizona), and Bradshaw Army Airfield (Hawai‘i). Overall, demonstrations were completed successfully in all climates, providing an opportunity to evaluate patching technologies in real-world environments, some of which are considered untraditional conditions for repairing asphalt. In total, 111 tubes of iHMA and 90 buckets of RapidPatch were used to complete 55.3 ft3 and 49.8 ft3 of patching, respectively, with patch sizes ranging from 4 ft2 up to 20 ft2. Both iHMA and RapidPatch repairs performed well under accelerated trafficking at all installations, exhibiting no more than 6 mm of rutting (less than 1⁄4 in.) after 1,000 passes of heavy truck loading. After 9 to 12 months of operational traffic and environmental exposure, both iHMA and RapidPatch repairs have performed well.

23 Sep 2025

Naval Expeditionary Runway Reconstruction Criteria: Evaluation of Full-Depth Reclamation for P-8 Aircraft Operations

Abstract: A structurally failed asphalt pavement section was reconstructed to investigate the full-depth reclamation (FDR) technique. The full-scale FDR pavement section consisted of six different test items containing different FDR material blends, a minimum asphalt layer thickness (i.e., 2 in. and 3 in.), and FDR-surface pavements (i.e., asphalt-surfaced and unpaved pavements). The FDR layers were stabilized with a combination of an asphalt emulsion and Portland cement. A heavy vehicle simulator was employed to simulate the loading conditions of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft. The performance of the full-scale pavement section before and after the FDR reconstruction was compared. The FDR technique was satisfactorily implemented to restore the structural capacity of a failed asphalt pavement. The pavements with FDR layers yielded at least two times more allowable passes than the conventional pavements. The FDR-surface pavement sections also demonstrated structural competency to support the expedient operation of heavy aircraft. The performance data generated from this project must be implemented to improve current practices in the design and evaluation of airfield asphalt pavements containing an FDR layer.

26 Jun 2025

Preliminary Study for Rapid Ground Stabilization

Abstract: The Army has a need to rapidly repair heavily damaged low-volume roads. This report describes the literature review, laboratory study, and preliminary technology evaluation for potential rapid road rehabilitation materials and equipment. The objective was to identify and evaluate equipment, materials, and techniques for rapid road repair. This phase of the study focuses on rapid stabilizers that, when added to native soil, could improve bearing capacity. Lightweight equipment and attachments were assessed for their ability to effectively excavate and place geomaterials. Several commercial soil stabilizers were identified that could meet strength requirements. Equipment attachments for a compact track loader were deemed most suitable for executing rapid repairs.

28 Feb 2025

The 2023 Joint Airfield Damage Repair Symposium (JADRS) at Fort Liberty, North Carolina

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the 20th Engineer Brigade, 27th Engineer Battalion, executed the Joint Airfield Damage Repair Symposium from 5 to 14 June 2023. The event was a training experience for personnel executing pavement-repair tasks and a planning and coordination exercise for senior military and civilian leaders developing technologies and plans for airfield damage repair (ADR). The participants included 14 trainers, 8 staff members, 48 observers, and 145 trainees from the US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The Military Occupational Specialty of most Army trainees was 12N, Horizontal Construction Engineer. The symposium also included a workshop attended by more than 20 organizations representing all branches of the US Military. Breakout sessions were used to develop strategies to address gaps in ADR materials, training, and doctrine. At the end of the symposium, the 27th Engineer Battalion identified needs for an updated joint doctrine detailing the capabilities residing within each service branch and defining their roles and responsibilities, equipment up-grades based on commercially available products that would enhance efficiency for ADR missions, positioning ADR materials in strategic locations to reduce the logistical burden of delivery, and lighter, more expeditionary ADR kits across each service.

29 May 2024

Finite Element, Petrographic, and Mechanical Analyses of Field-Cored Concrete Fairlead Beam Anchor Rods from Luke Air Force Base

Abstract: The fairlead beam is used to accomplish installation of the Barrier Arresting Kit 12 energy absorber for setback aircraft arresting system (AAS) installations at permanent operating facilities. Typical fairlead beams are affixed to a Portland cement concrete (PCC) foundation pad by a series of anchor assemblies made up of steel anchor rods set in grout inside galvanized pipe sleeves. US Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC) subject matter experts have identified a pattern of premature failures in these steel anchor assemblies when they are nondestructively inspected during AAS overhauls. The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center was tasked by AFCEC to investigate potential reasons for these premature failures. This report outlines methods and results of a finite element analysis of the anchorage, a visual and petrographic analysis of field-cored PCC anchor rods from Luke Air Force Base, and a mechanical analysis of specimens taken from the anchor rods within the PCC cores. Multiple modes of PCC distress were observed, and corrosion was evident in and around the anchor assemblies. Mechanical testing of specimens from the anchor rods indicated that an inferior grade of steel was used to fabricate these particular assemblies. Finally, observed deviations from design intention are discussed.

17 May 2024

A Dynamic Aircraft Response Model for Determining Roughness Limits

Abstract: Runway roughness poses significant risks to aircraft and aircraft personnel. Roughness irregularities can be found in both civilian and military airfields, from rutting to bomb-damaged repairs. Various methods exist for determining roughness criteria, such as discrete surface deviation evaluation and dynamic response models. Although validated dynamic response models such as TAXI-G were used extensively in the HAVE BOUNCE program from the 1970s up to the late 1990s, modern military aircraft have not undergone the same formal analysis. This paper presents the mathematical formulation and validation of the WESTAX dynamic response model. The computer program is capable of simulating the responses of different critical aircraft components while trafficking over idealized runway profiles. The validation results showed that the numerical model was capable of closely matching field data over single- and double bump events. The findings suggest that the WESTAX dynamic response model is a capable candidate for establishing aircraft roughness limits.