The main purpose of runway or road pavements is to carry traffic loads conveniently, economically, and safely during their design life. Pavement safety is usually evaluated through several components; among them the skid resistance and rutting are the most important indicators. They may cause a serious safety hazard in specific situations especially when water exists in any form. The main objectives of this thesis were to provide guidelines for the design of improved airfield mixes with higher quality both in terms of safety and performance and to develop prediction models concerning frictional characteristics and mechanical properties of airfield asphalt mixes. Nine different airfield asphalt mixes were utilized and tested for their frictional and mechanical properties. In addition to the laboratory evaluation, periodic friction measurements were conducted on two actual taxiway surfaces at Ottawa International Airport. The data and information obtained from the field and laboratory investigations were used to perform the analytical part of the thesis. The analytical investigation included performing statistical analysis to check the significance of the test results and developing several prediction models. The results showed that coarser aggregates could enhance surface friction of airfield pavements. In most cases, this improvement was achieved with better shear properties and other mechanical properties. The thesis provides simple prediction models that relate frictional quality to physical and mechanical properties of airfield asphalt mixes. The results and conclusions of the research provide a cornerstone toward the development of comprehensive design guidelines for airfield mixes with consideration of surface characteristics as one of their main objectives.
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