Providing design and construction phase services to rehabilitate a runway’s drainage

T.F. Green Runway 16-34 Reconstruction

In Rhode Island, T.F. Green International Airport needed a runway upgrade to comply with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) criteria. The Rhode Island Airport Corporation selected us to perform design and construction phase services for the Runway 16-34 reconstruction project.

For the project, our airfield design team had to consider many complicated design parameters. Runway 16-34 was originally constructed with a W-shaped cross section, which is not in accordance with current FAA criteria—the cross section included low points for drainage in a non-standard position between the runway centerline and edge lines. According to FAA recommendations, a standard runway should promote drainage all the way to the runway edges. Our final design upgraded the cross section of Runway 16-34 to a proper crown-type cross section that meets regulations. Another complication included factoring in the removal of a nine-inch-thick concrete slab that was found under the existing asphalt surface—and extended under the entire 4,481-foot (1,366-metre)-long runway.

As a result of our design and construction phase services work, the reconstructed runway will have better drainage, creating reliability and resilience for the future.