The Airport Concrete Pavement Technology Program (ACPTP) has issued an REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) for Performance Engineered Mixtures [PEMs] for Airfield Pavements. Research is on-going for PEMs for highway pavements. However, differences between highway and airfield pavements are significant.
Deadline October 1, 2021 – 4:00 pm CDT
3-page RFP: Click to go to 3-page PDF
Airfield pavements are more sensitive to foreign object debris (FOD) due to the nature of high-performance aircraft engines. To minimize the potential for FOD damage to aircraft, the mixture design procedures and specifications requirements for airfields and highways differ. These differences need to be understood, evaluated, and incorporated into airfield mixture proportioning tools. The critical properties for the durability and serviceability of airfield concrete mixtures need to be catalogued, suitable test methods and/or protocols identified, and the appropriate limits defined that can be incorporated into specifications.
The properties listed in the PEM for HIGHWAYS include:
• Permeability
• Freeze-thaw resistance
• Aggregate stability
• Shrinkage
• Strength
• Workability
The reduced tolerance for AIRFIELD PAVEMENTS failures may mean that the approaches to addressing these properties may need to be adjusted:
• Paving 18-inch thick slabs vs. 8-inch thick slabs
• Workability needs are likely different
—placement
—response to vibration
—finishing
• Additional parameters to be considered may include
—risk of mixture aggregate segregation
—sliver spalling potential
—concrete mixture uniformity is also considered a critical parameter.
• Controlling the uniformity of concrete produced at the plant needs to be investigated to determine what critical parameters must be controlled at the plant to assure the mixture delivered to the paver is similar from load to load during production paving.
• Needed to help contractors develop mixture proportions that will comply with the specified requirements; and that can be used for mixture development or inserted into FAA specifications to allow engineers to monitor mixture proportions and concrete at the point of delivery:
—guidance
—tools
—protocols
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the work in this RFP is to
✈️ Determine properties of a mixture that are critical to its success for airfield pavement.✈️ Assess and recommend appropriate test methods for the defined properties, along with valid tolerances and pass/fail limits.
✈️ Develop tools (e.g., software, spreadsheets, etc. as needed) to allow contractors to evaluate mixtures that provide a high probability of meeting specified requirements.
✈️ Develop guidance on how to monitor concrete mixture uniformity produced at the plant to promote consistency between loads delivered to the paver.
✈️ Consider and recommend any additional test methods and/or control charts, along with action and suspension limits that may be needed to promote concrete uniformity.
✈️ Determine if additional contractor quality control and owner quality acceptance procedures are needed to assure the pavement meets the design intent and performance requirements.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
RFP: (3 pages): Click on image above, or here: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/sites/7/2021/08/Performance-Engineered-Mixtures-for-Airfield-Pavements-RFP.pdf
Instructions: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/sites/7/2021/06/ACPTP-Proposal-Instructions8-30-21.pdf
RFP information and instructions: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/sites/7/2021/08/Performance-Engineered-Mixtures-for-Airfield-Pavements-RFP.pdf
More information: https://cptechcenter.org/airport-pavements/acptp/
BUDGET SAMPLE; CP Tech Center’s ACPTP web page: https://cptechcenter.org/airport-pavements/acptp/rfp/