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.