An Investigation into Australian Airfield Asphalt Density Quality Control Practices

In Australia, thin (50-80 mm) dense graded asphalt mixtures are widely used as the primary type of surfacing for airfields. The primary function of the asphalt mixture is to provide a flexible, waterproof, durable, and skid-resistant surface to the pavement structure. It is well established that compaction of asphalt mixtures is critical to airfield asphalt surface performance. Since the Australian Commonwealth government privatised the large Australian airfields in the 1990s and gave responsibility for the smaller airfields to local government authorities, there has not been a nationally adopted specifications for the design and construction of airfield asphalt surfacings. Only in 2018 was a standard specification published for airfield asphalt mixtures, but this has not been adopted by all airfields and design consultants which can lead to inconsistencies in the quality of airfield pavements.