Repair and Restoration of Bomb-Damaged Airfield Pavements

Improved repair and restoration systems for paved surfaces is an ongoing U.S. Army responsibility. This responsibility includes evaluating equipment, materials, and procedures designed to improve the U.S. Air Force’s capability for emergency airfield pavement repairs of war-damaged craters. These improvements reduce the personnel requirements and repair time and increase permanency of the repairs. The U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi evaluated the performance of four materials and construction techniques. These materials were a blend of portland cement, crushed limestone, calcium chloride and water; fibrous reinforced polyester (FRP); high-density foam slab over a low-density foam slab; compacted crushed stone over the low-density foam slab; and a compacted crushed limestone with a nylon reinforcing grid. The repaired craters were trafficked with simulated C-141 and 300 coverages of a simulated F-4 military aircraft gear. All of the repair procedures and materials performed satisfactorily, with different time and manpower requirements.