About the Project

Since 2008, APTech has served as the pavement management consultant for the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA), providing services at both Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Willow Run Airport. APTech served as the prime consultants from 2008 to 2016 and served as subconsultant for the 2018 and 2022 pavement management program (PMP) updates at DTW through an on-call contract, while still playing a lead role.

APTech began the latest PMP update by reviewing construction records to update the existing airport network definition maps. Our team then assessed the conditions on runways, taxiways, shoulders, aprons, and blast pads using the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) methodology and entered the data into the airport’s PAVER database. APTech’s engineers then used the data to forecast future pavement conditions through performance modeling and helped develop a capital improvement plan to cost-effectively address the airport’s pavement-related needs. APTech also completed a structural evaluation, determining Pavement Classification Ratings (PCRs) for the runways. During previous updates, APTech determined a foreign object damage (FOD) potential index for each pavement section and performed falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing on the runways.

This project came with multiple unique challenges. WCAA has added additional pavements into the system during almost every update since 2008. Such updates require meticulous project administration and strategic thinking to create a logical hierarchy within the pavement network for data collection and management. Additionally, because of the way WCAA uses data, gate areas on the terminal apron were divided into individual pavement sections to prioritize needs and better align with the way the airport completes repairs and rehabilitation. The team also worked with the airport to avoid impacting operations by performing PCI inspections overnight using artificial lighting. The project timeline set by the airport required that APTech conduct PCI inspections during the winter in northern Michigan, which necessitated schedule flexibility by the team to work around inclement weather to stay on schedule.

The project concluded with the development of a final report, an abridged executive summary, and IDEA—APTech’s web-based interactive and user-friendly data visualization tool. By including deliverables in a variety of formats, stakeholders with various levels of pavement engineering familiarity were able to engage with the project’s results and understand the importance of effective pavement management. WCAA places a high importance on preserving pavement infrastructure, and APTech’s pavement management services allow them to proactively manage their pavement assets and make the most efficient use of their funding dollars.