Surface Texture of Antiskid Surface Layers Used on Runways

Surface texture, including microtexture and macrotexture, is directly relevant to safe takeoff and landing operations. Antiskid surfaces provide a high skid resistance and allow safe operation of aircrafts. The surface texture should be sufficiently high to allow directional control of aircraft during landing and efficient braking over the available runway distance. Antiskid layers with tar-containing binders have good surface texture, excellent adhesion properties and have an extremely high fuel resistance, which make them more suitable for airfields than other surface treatment materials. However, tar-containing antiskid mixtures have a high Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (or PAHs) content, which makes them toxic. Because of this environmental concern, tar-containing antiskid runways will not be allowed anymore after 2010 in the Netherlands. Therefore alternatives need to be developed. As a benchmark for the alternatives, various properties of tar-containing antiskid surface layers need to be evaluated, especially the surface texture. This paper presents texture data gathered from a number of airports in the Netherlands. All the antiskid layers contain tar and are laid between 1989 and 2009. Nano CT scanning, microscopy and sand patch tests were used to evaluate the surface textures. The results indicate that the tar-containing antiskid surfaces have a high texture depth. These high values remained constant after 20 years service.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Xiao, Yue
  • van de Ven, M F C
  • Molenaar, André
  • Wu, Shaopeng
  • Verwaal, W
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2011-1-23 to 2011-1-27
• Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: DVD
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 11p
• Monograph Title: TRB 90th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport runways; Benchmarks; Friction; Landing fields; Macrotexture; Microscopy; Surface course (Pavements); Tar; Texture
• Uncontrolled Terms: Antiskid
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Highways; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01334280
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 11-1169
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 28 2011 7:45AM