Validation of Pavement Condition Index – PCI: A Portuguese Case Study

A basic tool for airfield pavement management is the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), a numerical indicator that notes the surface condition of the pavement through the visual analysis of the frequency and severity of pavement distresses, on a set of samples criteriously selected. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the PCI for airport pavements and its determination has become an ASTM Standard Test Method (ASTM D 5340-98). Furthermore, the PCI has become a mandatory airfield condition index by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the USA. It provides an objective basis for determining maintenance and repair needs and priorities. In order to contribute to the implementation of an airfield pavement management system in Portugal, an application of this tool has been made on the pavement condition evaluation of a military airfield in this country. This paper describes the survey procedures, the obtained results and their validation by non-destructive testing (Mu-Meter and FWD). For the covering abstract see ITRD E118503.