Pavement Classification Rating (PCR)
Airport Pavement Testing for Safety and Operational Continuity
Airport pavements must have sufficient structural capacity to safely support aircraft operations. The Pavement Classification Rating (PCR) is the standardized International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rating used to report the load-bearing capacity of runway, taxiway and apron pavements.
As global air traffic grows and aircraft loads increase, reliable information about pavement strength and condition becomes increasingly important. QRoad performs non-destructive Heavy Weight Deflectometer (HWD) testing to determine pavement response, structural capacity and remaining service life, providing the data required for reliable PCR assessments.
QRoad’s specialist airport pavement service combines HWD and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) testing. HWD applies controlled loads representative of heavy aircraft wheel loads, including aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777. GPR provides continuous information about pavement layer thickness, structural variability and possible subsurface anomalies. Together, these technologies provide a comprehensive assessment of airport pavement condition and support safe operations, maintenance planning and rehabilitation design.
Combined HWD and GPR Testing for Airport Pavements
- Existing pavements: PCR assessment, layer stiffness, remaining service life, continuous layer thickness and anomaly detection
- New pavements: baseline structural and thickness data for future pavement management and performance monitoring
- Concrete pavements: Load Transfer Efficiency (LTE) assessment at joints and verification of slab thickness and structural uniformity
- During construction: structural verification of stiff bound layers, such as cement-treated base, and completed pavement structures, combined with GPR verification of layer thickness and uniformity
- Independent verification: confirmation of design assumptions, construction quality and suitable maintenance or rehabilitation measures