Impact of Sea Level Rise-Induced Hazards on Airfield Pavement Performance: A Simulation Study

Abstract

Sea level rise (SLR) caused by climate change has posed great challenges to coastal infrastructure. It is important for airport agencies to take SLR impact into account for resilient pavement design and maintenance. This study aims to develop a methodological framework to evaluate the impact of SLR on airfield pavement considering three different SLR-induced hazards, namely extreme precipitation, flooding, and groundwater rise. For each hazard, moisture variations in unbound materials of the airfield pavement were first analyzed using hydraulic models. The floodwater can flow to the area beneath the aircraft loading position via both the unpaved zone and surface cracks. Based on the moisture-dependent modulus, critical pavement responses under aircraft loading were then calculated using mechanical models. Finally, cumulative damage factors caused by each hazard were calculated using existing airfield pavement failure models to quantify the damage caused by SLR. The results show that extreme precipitation causes little damage to the structural life of airfield pavement, while groundwater level rise can cause 29% damage to pavement subgrade when the subbase was immersed. The impact of flooding on subgrade is much more remarkable than that on the asphalt layer, with the damage changing from 25% to 50% depending on the recovery process.