Durability evaluation of an airport runway shoulder

The durability of an airport runway shoulder located in northern China has been explored both in field and in laboratory. Serious cracking and spalling appeared upon surface of the runway shoulder shortly after the airport was put into service. Alkali-aggregate reaction was assessed by both field survey and lab examination. Expansion due to sulfate attack was also measured to assess the sulfate resistance. Frost resistance was evaluated through rapid-freezing method. Moreover, the microstructure of the runway shoulder concrete were examined. Results show that freeze-thaw cycle is the main cause for the deterioration of the runway shoulder, excluding the possibility of alkali-aggregate reaction and sulfate attack.