UFC 3-260-02
30 June 2001
CHAPTER 4
NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AIRFIELD REQUIREMENTS
1. TRAFFIC. Traffic is an important input for pavement thickness design. An airfield pavement shall
be designed to support a forecast number of loadings by one or more types of aircraft expected to use
the facility over the design period. This requires information related to:
a. Aircraft types (gear configurations).
b. Maximum gross weight of each aircraft type.
c. Lateral wander associated with each aircraft type.
d. Predicted number of operations of each aircraft type over the design life of the pavement.
2. TRAFFIC AREAS. Airfield pavements are categorized by traffic area as a function of either lateral
traffic distribution or aircraft weight or both. The three principal traffic areas recognized on Navy and
Marine Corps air stations are primary, secondary, and supporting. For purposes of standardization and
for preparation of the Tri-Service design criteria, a primary area corresponds to an Air Force B traffic
area and a secondary traffic area corresponds to an Air Force C traffic area. These designated traffic
areas for a typical airfield layout plan are shown in Figure 4-1.
a. Primary Traffic Areas. Primary traffic areas require high pavement strength due to the
combination of high operating weights and channelized traffic. Primary traffic areas include:
(1) First 305 meters (1,000 feet) of runways.
(2) Primary taxiways.
(3) Holding areas.
(4) Aprons.
b. Secondary Traffic Areas. Secondary traffic areas are normally subjected to unchannelized traffic
and aircraft operating at lower weights than primary traffic areas. Secondary traffic areas include:
(1) Runway interiors.
(2) Intermediate taxiway turnoffs.
c. Supporting Areas. Supporting areas are not intended for normal aircraft operations. They are
designed to withstand occasional passes of aircraft on an emergency basis. Supporting traffic areas
include:
(1) Inner 3 meters (10 feet) of runway shoulders.
(2) Stabilized portions of runway overruns.
4-1
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