Improving Airport Pavement Management Using An Analytical Hierarchy Process Decision Making Tool

Abstract

This paper discusses how an Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) can be used by airport operators to help improve maintenance scheduling and decision making. The steps involved in creating an APMS are outlined from establishing a pavement history to maintaining the system with current information. Opportunities are identified for utilizing the APMS to analyze trends in pavement distresses and evaluate the effectiveness of competing maintenance treatments. This paper also introduces an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a tool that can be incorporated in an APMS and utilized for decision making. An AHP offers a systematic approach to incorporating both qualitative and quantitative factors in the assessment of competing alternatives to provide an innovative solution. A runway surface texture and rubber removal case study is presented. In this case study, it is shown that the state of the art practice testing frequency can be greatly improved with access to data. The importance of runway friction is described and four options for removing rubber accumulation and restoring texture to a runway are presented to provide context for applying this case to an AHP. The paper concludes by showing how an AHP can be incorporated into an APMS to help an operator compare maintenance techniques and select the most suitable alternative based on their airport's needs. The concept of an AHP can be broadly applied to decision making within an APMS.