An Innovative Paver System for Aircraft Pavements

The first use of concrete block paving (CBP) for surfacing existing aircraft pavements was made at London Luton Airport UK in October 1981 and is still in daily use after 30 years. It has been adopted worldwide with some 1.5 million m2 now in use.Following some failures of conventional (CBP) it was decided by the authors to develop a unique innovative pavement surfacing system that provides a mechanical interlock in addition to the frictional interlock provided by the jointing sand of conventional block paving.The suitability of this form of paving for civilian and military aircraft pavements has now been proven in sustained empirical testing. Its use at Hazrat Shahjalal International airport in Bangladesh on a project for the rehabilitation and extension of 50,000 m2 of aircraft pavements is an indication of a growing confidence in this form of paving.The mechanical interlock developed between individual units makes it possible to lay these units without jointing sand whilst still maintaining surface stability. For this reason the system may be used as a permeable pavement.