Chennault International Airport Pavement Rehabilitation of Runway 15-33
Chennault International Airport Runway 15-33 Rehabilitation, Lake Charles, LA
As part of a multi-year contract, KSA was engaged to conduct a study that would determine the load-bearing capacity of Runway 15-33 and its connecting taxiways. KSA provided maintenance and rehabilitation recommendations for a 20-year period and obtained federal funding for construction.
To simulate and determine in-situ soil conditions, KSA teamed with consultants to perform non-destructive and heavy weight deflection testing. The project was funded by federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) Aviation grant monies. In compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations for airports completing projects with AIP grants, KSA determined the airport’s load-bearing capacity and assigned it pavement classification number (PCN) values, which help to justify future pavement projects and discover problem areas that need to be addressed in the airport’s capital improvement program.
Staff walking the length of the runway checking for unwanted debris.
Based on projected aircraft operations and the calculated PCN, KSA devised a plan to address the pavement deficiencies observed. The project included replacing the existing joint sealant material and removing and replacing distressed, isolated concrete panels. This will eliminate existing voids in the pavement and further protect the underlying subgrade. Full depth panel replacements, also recommended, will eliminate a key source of foreign object debris (FOD) on the runway. The project also includes a full reconstruction of a portion of the runway, consisting a 17-inch portland cement concrete surface.
KSA coordinated seamlessly with the FAA and LaDOTD Aviation to negotiate adequate funding and a reasonable construction schedule. Construction will begin in the spring of 2018. To facilitate constructability, the project team coordinated with the FAA/LaDOTD to transform the parallel taxiway into a temporary runway during construction. This will give the contractor free reign of the primary runway, which should shorten the overall construction time. The primary runway will only be closed for 120 working days. KSA allowed the contractor to salvage reusable concrete at the project site, which saved the airport money on the construction bid.
