5 Common Questions About How Runway and Airfield Paving Differs from Highway Paving
You may think paving is all the same. Asphalt goes down, it gets compacted, and traffic drives on it. However, airport planners, facility managers, and general contractors who treat runway and airfield paving as an extension of highway work often run into problems, from failed inspections to pavement that doesn’t hold up under aircraft loads.
Airfield paving is governed by a different set of standards, driven by different physical demands, and executed under different operational constraints than roadway paving. Understanding those differences matters before a project is scoped, not after.
We’re answering 5 common questions airport project teams ask before choosing a paving contractor.
1 – How Are Airfield and Highway Paving Standards Different?
Highway and roadway paving typically follows state DOT specifications and AASHTO guidelines. Airfield paving is governed primarily by two FAA advisory circulars: AC 150/5370-10, which sets the standard specifications for airport construction, and AC 150/5320-6, which covers airport pavement design and evaluation.
This isn’t a minor technicality. FAA standards dictate everything from subgrade preparation to surface tolerances to material-testing protocols, and airfield projects typically follow a different regulatory pathway than state road projects. A contractor experienced only in DOT-spec roadway work may not be familiar with FAA submittal, testing, and certification requirements.
2 – How Do Load Requirements Differ?
Highway pavement is engineered around repeated loading from a high volume of vehicles distributed across multiple lanes and axle configurations. Airfield pavement is engineered around a much smaller number of extremely heavy, concentrated loads, primarily landing gear, delivered to specific zones like runways, taxiways, and aircraft parking aprons.
The differences change the pavement design. Airfield sections often require greater structural depth and different reinforcement approaches in high-load areas, particularly where aircraft turn, brake, or sit stationary for extended periods.
3 – Do Airfields Use Different Paving Materials?
Airfield paving often calls for specialized asphalt or concrete mixes designed for fuel and oil resistance, since aircraft operations expose pavement to conditions typical roadway pavement isn’t built to withstand. Certain high-traffic or high-stress zones, such as aprons or taxiway intersections, are more likely to use portland cement concrete (PCC) rather than asphalt, depending on the specific loading and operational profile of the facility.
4 – What Surface and Safety Requirements Are Unique to Airfields?
Runways in particular are held to tighter smoothness and grade tolerances than roadways, since even minor surface irregularities affect aircraft ride quality and, at higher speeds, safety. Many runways are also grooved to improve water drainage and traction during landing, a treatment not used on standard highway surfaces.
Foreign object debris (FOD) control is another airfield-specific concern. Loose aggregate, cracked pavement, or debris that would be a minor issue on a highway shoulder can be ingested into an aircraft engine, which raises the bar for material consistency, joint sealing, and post-construction cleanup on airfield projects.
5 – How Does Project Execution Differ on Active Airfields?
Airfield paving is rarely a simple close-and-pave job. Active airports require coordination with airport operations and, in many cases, the FAA, to schedule work around flight activity. That often means night work, phased closures, and strict security and access protocols that don’t apply to most highway projects. Crews working on active airfields typically need specific security clearances and safety training beyond standard roadway work zone protocols.
What This Means When Choosing a Contractor
Choosing the wrong contractor for an airfield project isn’t a small mistake. Airport authorities and general contractors that overlook the differences between airfield and highway paving risk delays, failed inspections, or pavement that doesn’t hold up under aircraft loads. A contractor without airfield-specific experience may be unfamiliar with FAA submittal processes, may not have the right equipment or mix designs on hand, and may underestimate the scheduling complexity of working on an active airfield.
Reeves Construction Company approaches airfield and runway paving as a distinct discipline within its broader heavy civil paving work across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, and Arkansas, applying the same attention to specification, sequencing, and quality control that airport-grade paving requires. For project teams weighing highway-paving experience against true airfield expertise, the distinction is worth asking about directly.
