scope:

PURPOSE AND SCOPE.

This Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) provides the procedure for performing a pavement condition survey at all airfields with present or potential DOD missions. This UFC is intended for use by all personnel responsible for such surveys.

The objectives of a pavement condition survey are to determine the present condition of the pavement in terms of apparent structural integrity and operational surface condition, to provide a common index for comparing the condition and performance of pavements at all air stations along with a rational basis for justification of pavement repair projects, and to provide feedback on pavement performance for validating and improving current pavement design, evaluation, and maintenance procedures.

The airfield pavement condition survey is a visual inspection of both rigid and flexible pavement for signs of pavement distress. The pavement condition index (PCI) is a numerical rating that indicates the type and severity of the inspected distress. The airfield condition survey and the resulting PCI are the primary means of obtaining and recording important airfield pavement performance data. This UFC describes the condition survey of both flexible pavements (all pavements with conventional bituminous concrete surfaces) and rigid pavements (jointed portland cement concrete [PCC] pavements) and the procedure for determining the PCI of the inspected pavement.

The pavement network is divided into branches that are in turn divided into sections. Each section is divided into sample units. The type and severity of pavement distress is assessed by visual inspection of the pavement sample units. The quantity of the distress is measured as described in Appendix A (flexible pavement) and Appendix B (rigid pavement). The distress data are used to calculate the PCI for each sample unit. The PCI of the pavement section is determined based on the PCI of the inspected sample units within the section. The distresses can be numbered using several conventions. Within this UFC, two numbering conventions are presented. One uses the convention adopted within the PAVER software, which starts the numbering of flexible distresses at 41 and continues through 57. For rigid pavement, the distresses start with 61 and continue through 76. This is done to ensure the distresses for the flexible and rigid airfield distresses have unique numerical identifiers and to allow for separate distresses for flexible and rigid roadways to have unique numerical identifiers from 1 to 39. The second convention provided in Appendix A and Appendix B is consistent with ASTM D5340 and is contained in braces: {#}. This numbering convention produces multiple distresses for the same numerical identifier and should be used with caution.

For additional information on performing pavement condition surveys for NATO countries, refer to STANAG 7181.