Avaliação estrutural das pistas de pouso e decolagem, pátios e acessos do aeroporto Presidente Castro Pinto de João Pessoa.

Abstract

Highway airfields are built to support loads which are imposed by aircrafts. So, they must present a good performance, and be stable and resistant to varying climate conditions. Knowledge of aircraft characteristics such as landing gear type, maximum takeoff weight, tire pressures, research of pavement materials, among others, is very important to design, evaluation, maintenance and rehabilitation of the pavement. The aim of the present work was the evaluation study of enlargement and overlay designs of landing runways, takeoff runways, taxiways and aprons of President Castro Pinto Airfield in Joao Pessoa, state of Paraiba, based on the methods of FAA and those of the Asphalt Institute. Data contained in the report of INFRAERO and those collected by ATECEL were used. The estimated results were analyzed in a comparative way through the approaches of FAA and those of the Asphalt Institute. The surface condition of landing runways, takeoff runways, aprons and taxiways of Castro Pinto Airfield indicates that its structure has suffered neither any premature collapse nor any accentuated distress after 23 years of service. This evidence is confirmed by data obtained in semi-destructive evaluation of pavements, carried out by means of sounding, sampling, survey and through estimated thicknesses, employing methods of FAA, and the of Asphalt Institute.