A team led by the University of Illinois’ Imad Al‑Qadi has launched a $1 million FAA‑sponsored project to develop cracking performance tests for airfield asphalt mixes.
The project involves collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, Arizona State University, Applied Research Associates, and Heritage Research Group. The research team collected loose mix, aggregates, asphalt binders, and field cores from 10 airports across the United States. The team took pavement cores at Willard Airport from sections paved in 2004, 2014, and 2024 to validate testing protocols over time. Akash Bajaj, PhD student and research assistant at the University of Illinois, coordinated closely with the airport and research team to collect all cores and led the laboratory testing effort.
The project is focused on identifying and developing airfield pavement tests that aid in pavement mix design and construction quality control.
These advancements will help transition Federal Aviation Administration specifications from density-based to performance-based criteria, paving the way for implementation of Balanced Mix Design (BMD) principles in airfield pavements. Already gaining traction in highway construction, BMD promotes long-term performance and enables the use of sustainable innovations like warm-mix asphalt, recycled materials, fibers, and polymer-modified binders in airfield applications. Willard Airport is honored to contribute to this research as a location of testing, to enhance airfield pavements into the future.
