UFC 3-260-02
30 June 2001
thickness for the full width of pavement facility. The entire primary taxiway, including straight sections,
turns, and intersections, will be designated as Type A traffic areas.
(4) Assault landing zone airfield. The type of aircraft operations conducted on these pavements
will require the entire runway, the 91-meter (300-foot) overruns, and the short access taxiways to be
designed as Type A traffic areas.
b. Type B Traffic Areas. Type B traffic areas are those in which the traffic is more evenly
distributed over the full width of the pavement facility but which receive the full design weight of the
aircraft during traffic operations. Inasmuch as there is a better distribution of the traffic on these
pavements, the repetition of stress within any specific area is less than on Type A traffic areas; therefore,
a reduction in required pavement thickness can be allowed. Pavement facilities considered to be Type B
traffic areas on each airfield type are as follows:
(1) Heavy-load airfield. All aprons (except hangar access aprons), pads, and hardstands, and
traffic lanes adjacent to the center lane on long straight sections of primary taxiways are designed as
Type B traffic areas.
(2) Medium-load and modified heavy-load airfields. All aprons (except hangar access aprons),
pads, and hardstands are Type B traffic areas.
(3) Light-load and auxiliary airfields. All aprons (except hangar access aprons), hardstands,
and power check pads are Type B traffic areas.
(4) Assault landing zone. No Type B traffic area.
c. Type C Traffic Areas. Type C traffic areas are those in which the volume of traffic is low or the
applied weight of the operating aircraft is generally less than the design weight. In the interior portion of
runways, there is enough lift on the wings of the aircraft at the speed at which the aircraft passes over
the pavements to reduce considerably the stresses applied to the pavements. Thus, the pavement
thickness can be reduced in these portions of the runways. Therefore, all runway interiors, except
shortfield, will be designated as Type C traffic areas regardless of type of design loadings. For the
heavy, modified heavy, and medium-load airfields, the edges of the runway seldom receive a fully
loaded aircraft; therefore, for these airfields, the Type C traffic areas are limited to the center 23-meter
(75-foot) width of runway interior. However, in seasonal frost areas, it may be necessary to use a
uniform thickness for the entire width of the runway to preclude frost heave. Pavement facilities at all
airfields considered to be Type C traffic areas are as follows:
(1) Heavy-load airfields.
(a) Secondary (ladder) taxiways.
(b) The center 23-meter (75-foot) width of runway interior between the 305-meter (1,000-
foot) runway ends and at runway edge adjacent to intersections with ladder taxiways.
(c) Main gear path area of hangar access aprons and floors and washrack pavements.
(The pavement outside the main gear path area of hangar access aprons and floors and washracks are
designed as a light-load Type C traffic area.)
(2) Medium-load and modified heavy-load airfields.
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