Critical Response Evaluations of Airfield Flexible Pavements under Heavy Military Loads

A proper design, construction, and evaluation of military infrastructure is critical for adequately supporting the power projection capabilities of the Department of Defense (DoD). Flexible pavements often suffer from heavy loads of mission-based vehicles and aircraft, leading to critical distresses like rutting and fatigue cracking. To address these challenges, the C-FLEX software, as part of the Joint Evaluation and Design Integrated (JEDI) solution, was developed for the US Army Corps of Engineers under the Advancing Power Projection through Lines-of-Communication (APPLoC) project. C-FLEX employs advanced finite element analysis to model flexible pavements as axisymmetric multi-layered systems. It integrates nonlinear material characterization models for unbound aggregate base/subbase and subgrade layers, incorporating stress-dependent behavior. This paper highlights the application of C-FLEX in analyzing critical pavement responses to mission-based heavy aircraft loads. The advanced modeling capabilities of C-FLEX support mechanistic-empirical designs within the JEDI framework, enhancing pavement resilience and operational readiness in military environments.