Rethinking Airport Pavements: The Case for Thin Concrete at General Aviation Airports 

Originally published in the Summer 2025 edition of Pavement Progress, the article “Thin Concrete Pavements Provide a Solution for General Aviation Airports” makes a strong case for thinner concrete pavements at GA airports.

For years, GA airports have used pavement designs developed for larger commercial airports, often resulting in thicker—and more costly—runways than necessary. Increasingly, airport owners and engineers are finding that thin concrete pavements, typically five to seven inches thick, can provide a more efficient solution without sacrificing performance or safety.

Evidence from projects across the country shows that thin concrete overlays can deliver exceptional durability and long service life. One notable example is Storm Lake Airport in Iowa, where a five-inch concrete overlay installed in 1971 remains in service today with only routine preservation work. Similar success has been seen at airports throughout the Southeast, including Florida and South Carolina, where thin concrete runways, taxiways, and aprons continue to maintain excellent pavement condition ratings more than 20 years after construction.

Beyond longevity, thin concrete pavements offer important operational benefits. Concrete overlays can often be installed quickly, minimizing airport closures and reducing construction impacts. At airports such as Greenwood County, South Carolina, and Perryville Regional Airport in Missouri, projects were completed on accelerated schedules while providing infrastructure that is expected to outperform traditional asphalt alternatives. Concrete’s resilience is another key advantage. Unlike flexible pavements, concrete is less dependent on subgrade strength and is better able to withstand flooding and other challenging conditions.

Thin concrete pavements can also reduce lifecycle costs. Using less material lowers initial construction costs, while the pavement’s durability and low maintenance requirements help extend the time between major rehabilitation projects. Industry experts report that many concrete overlays continue to perform exceptionally well decades after installation.

Click here to read the full article beginning on page eleven.

Register Today for the July Installment of the Tech Tuesday Webinar Series

The July installment of the Tech Tuesday Webinar Series, GA Airport Concrete Overlays, will be July 21 at noon central.

Concrete overlays are an effective rehabilitation or reconstruction method to extend the life of, or increase the capacity of, an airfield pavement without performing a full reconstruction.  Thin concrete overlays on general aviation airports have a proven track record of long-term performance well beyond traditional rehabilitation methods.

This webinar will provide an overview of the benefits of concrete overlays on general aviation airports including examples of performance in different regions of the United States.  The webinar will also discuss FAA policies and design standards as they relate to concrete overlays including an example of how they are designed, and how they can be compared to other rehabilitation methods as part of an alternatives analysis.

Webinar presenters include Harold Honey, chief engineer with the American Concrete Pavement Association, and Greg Dean, consultant with the ACPA-Southeast Chapter.

Click here to register today.

ACPTP Releases New Guidance on Runway Rubber Removal

Every time an airplane lands it deposits rubber on the runway surface. Over time this rubber builds up leading to obscured runway markings and reduced friction which can lead to aircraft skidding off the runway. Rubber removal is periodically required to maintain safe operations, but improper removal techniques can damage runway surfaces reducing the operational life of the pavement and leading to costly repairs or replacement.

In response to this issue, the Airport Concrete Pavement Technology Program (ACPTP) has published ACPTP-2022-5, Best Practices for Airport Runway Rubber Removal, providing airports with practical guidance for maintaining runway friction while minimizing pavement damage.

The research evaluated current rubber removal practices through literature reviews, industry surveys, airport site visits, and statistical analyses. Findings confirmed that high-pressure waterblasting remains the most common removal method, while combination approaches using chemical treatments and waterblasting can help reduce pavement wear.

The report’s Best Practice Guidelines recommend tailoring removal methods to local conditions, using moderate waterblasting pressures, protecting pavement joints and grooves, conducting regular friction testing, maintaining equipment, and ensuring proper personnel training. These practices can help airports improve safety, extend pavement life, and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Click here to read the full report.

ACPA Delivers Concrete Knowledge at ASCE Conferences

Last week ASCE held its joint conferences for Airfield and Highway Pavements along with Transportation and Development (ICTD) and Automated People Movers and Automated Transit Systems (APM-ATS). The conference brings together nearly 1,000 engineers from across the country to talk about the advancement of civil infrastructure. This conference presented an opportunity for ACPA to educate consultant engineers on the benefits and best practices for concrete pavement.

ACPA’s Sarah Dalton and Eric Ferrebee helped drive education on concrete topics by delivering five podium presentations and a poster presentation across the 3.5 days of the conference. Dalton, ACPA’s Senior Director of Engineering and Construction, instructed engineers on concrete pavement’s ability to deliver a smooth and long-lasting pavement. She also delivered a presentation on best practices for mix design; highlighting many of the advancements that have been made to deliver better concrete pavements. Ferrebee, ACPA’s Senior Director of Technical Services, taught engineers on the best practices for designing concrete overlays and how to best preserve concrete pavements. He also discussed the need for delivering a competitive paving program to best utilize taxpayer’s dollars on an agency’s infrastructure investment.

New Project Profile: Concrete Runway Delivers Long-Term Value at Platte Municipal Airport

When Platte Municipal Airport, located in Platte, SD, needed to replace its aging Runway 14/32, city officials chose a concrete pavement solution designed for long-term performance. Completed in 2017, the project reconstructed the 3,100-foot runway with a 6-inch-thick P-501 portland cement concrete pavement, providing a durable, reliable surface for airport users.

While the concrete option carried a higher initial cost than asphalt, the City of Platte, the FAA, and the South Dakota Department of Transportation determined that concrete’s longer service life, lower maintenance needs, and reduced life-cycle costs made it the best long-term investment.

Nearly a decade later, that decision continues to pay off. As of 2024, the runway maintained an excellent Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of 97 and is on track to significantly exceed its 20-year design life, demonstrating the lasting value of concrete pavement for aviation infrastructure.

Click here to read the complete project profile.

New Project Profile: Innovative Concrete Inlay Keeps Traffic Moving and Maintenance Costs Down

The City of Tea, South Dakota, recently demonstrated forward-thinking to pavement management by selecting a concrete pavement inlay to rehabilitate a heavily traveled section of Heritage Parkway. Rather than pursuing a traditional asphalt mill-and-overlay, city leaders and engineers chose a solution focused on long-term durability, reduced maintenance, and improved lifecycle value.

The half-mile roadway segment, originally constructed in 2009, serves approximately 12,000 vehicles each day. After years of service, the existing asphalt pavement began showing earlier than expected signs of rutting and thermal cracking. Following an evaluation of alternatives, the City of Tea and project engineer HDR determined that an 8-inch doweled concrete pavement inlay would provide a longer service life and lower future maintenance requirements.

The completed concrete inlay provides a durable, low-maintenance pavement designed to meet the demands of this important arterial corridor for decades to come. By investing in concrete, the City of Tea has created a long-lasting transportation asset that will help reduce future rehabilitation needs while keeping motorists moving safely and efficiently.

Click here to view the full project profile.

SAVE THE DATE: ACPA Announces 2026 Airport Workshop

ACPA is excited to bring the annual Airport Workshop to Arizona, October 27-29, 2026. This three-day workshop offers discussions and presentations on best practices in the design, construction, and rehabilitation of concrete pavements used for airport applications.

As always, the workshop is expected to feature technical subject matter experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Transportation Center, the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Airport Safety and Standards, the Air Force Civil Engineering Center, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in open discussions about interpreting and applying airport concrete pavement specifications used by the FAA P-501 and Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS) 32 13 14.13 specifications.

More information is coming soon but save the date on your calendar now!