About the Project

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) consistently ranks as one of the top ten busiest airports in the United States and is a vital link in the nation’s transportation system. Since 2013, the City of Phoenix has relied on APTech to provide airfield pavement assessment services and recommendations. We have performed these updates in 2013, 2016, and 2019, and was again reselected to provide these services in 2022.

The primary goals of the project were to update the airport pavement management system (APMS) and to develop a maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) plan for the airside pavements at PHX.

To accomplish this goal, we performed detailed pavement inspections in accordance with the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) procedure and conducted a simplified inspection of the vehicle service roads, reporting general conditions of each section, and estimating the timing for rehabilitation.

During past projects, APTech performed FWD testing and the associated data analysis to evaluate the properties of the pavement and subgrade layers. We referenced that testing data to determine Pavement Classification Ratings (PCRs) for the airfield pavements using current traffic data, bringing the airport into compliance with updated FAA strength reporting requirements. APTech also measured and assessed the condition of the transverse saw-cut grooves on the runways and high-speed taxiways. Using these results in conjunction with PAVER, we identified and prioritized pavement rehabilitation projects—along with associated costs—to enable the City to plan for their capital improvement needs.

In addition, APTech continued support of its web-based interactive pavement management data visualization tool, IDEA, for PHX to disseminate information, results, and recommendations of the APMS in an easy-to-access format.

As with any busy commercial-service airport, we worked closely with PHX Operations throughout the duration of field work to coordinate safe and efficient inspections that reduce strain on the airport’s operations. Although the PCI inspections were delayed for several months due to ongoing construction work on the airfield, we expedited the inspections once airside access was allowed to keep the project on track.

We understand the importance of listening to client needs and adapting as they change. Throughout almost every iteration of our PHX pavement assessments, the scope has been tailored to address the current and continually changing needs of the City and the airport. The findings and recommendations from this project allow the City of Phoenix to maintain their extensive airfield pavement network in a cost-effective manner. The City has closely followed the recommendations from previous updates, resulting in continued improvement of the airfield pavement condition.