Sixteen nonstandard asphalt pavement test items were subjected to accelerated traffic testing to determine whether reductions in aircraft tire inflation pressure had a meaningful effect on pavement performance. Materials evaluated included a strong and weak base course (limestone and gravel), three asphalt thicknesses (2.5 cm, 3.8 cm, and 6.3 cm), and two aircraft types (C-130 and C-17). Each single-wheel aircraft tire was operated at two tire inflation pressures, that is, normal operating pressure and approximately 20% below normal, while maintaining total wheel load. Rutting behavior and surface cracking were the primary measured distress mechanisms and were used to evaluate pavement performance. It was found that reducing tire inflation pressure on the weak base course materials had little effect on rutting performance, suggesting that total load rather than tire pressure dominated performance. Conversely, tire pressure reductions on strong base course materials provided an improvement in rutting performance ranging from 15% to 73%. Improvement in surface cracking was observed in some cases with a reduction in tire inflation pressure; however, a meaningful amount of surface cracking was not observed in most test items until near or after 25.4 mm of rutting. Thus, it can be concluded that the primary mode of failure was pavement rutting rather than extensive fatigue cracking. Overall, it was found that a reduction in tire pressure on competent aggregate base improved pavement performance, which could permit increased aircraft operations on thin flexible airfield pavements.

对16个非标准沥青路面测试项目进行了加速交通测试，以确定飞机轮胎充气压力的降低是否对路面性能产生了有意义的影响。评估的材料包括坚固的基础层和薄弱的基础层（石灰石和砾石），三种沥青厚度（2.5 cm，3.8 cm和6.3 cm）以及两种飞机类型（C-130和C-17）。每个单轮飞机轮胎均在两个轮胎充气压力下工作，即正常工作压力且比正常情况低大约20％，同时保持了总的车轮负载。车辙行为和表面开裂是主要的测量遇险机理，并用于评估路面性能。结果发现，降低弱基层材料上的轮胎充气压力对车辙性能几乎没有影响，这表明总负载而不是轮胎压力是主要性能。相反，降低坚固基础材料的轮胎压力可使车辙性能提高15％至73％。在某些情况下，随着轮胎充气压力的降低，表面裂痕得到改善。但是，直到25.4毫米的车辙附近或之后，在大多数测试项目中才观察到有意义的表面开裂量。因此，可以得出结论，主要的破坏方式是路面车辙而不是广泛的疲劳裂纹。总的来说，人们发现，降低合计骨料基数上的轮胎压力可以改善路面性能，这可以使飞机在薄型柔性飞机场路面上增加操作。坚固基础材料的轮胎压力降低使车辙性能提高了15％至73％。在某些情况下，随着轮胎充气压力的降低，表面裂痕得到改善。但是，直到25.4毫米的车辙附近或之后，在大多数测试项目中才观察到有意义的表面开裂量。因此，可以得出结论，主要的破坏方式是路面车辙而不是广泛的疲劳裂纹。总的来说，人们发现，降低合计骨料基数上的轮胎压力可以改善路面性能，这可以使飞机在薄型柔性飞机场路面上增加操作。坚固基础材料的轮胎压力降低使车辙性能提高了15％至73％。在某些情况下，随着轮胎充气压力的降低，表面裂痕得到改善。但是，直到25.4毫米的车辙附近或之后，在大多数测试项目中才观察到有意义的表面开裂量。因此，可以得出结论，主要的破坏方式是路面车辙而不是广泛的疲劳裂纹。总的来说，人们发现，降低合计骨料基数上的轮胎压力可以改善路面性能，这可以使飞机在薄型柔性飞机场路面上增加操作。在某些情况下，随着轮胎充气压力的降低，表面裂痕得到改善。但是，直到25.4毫米的车辙附近或之后，在大多数测试项目中才观察到有意义的表面开裂量。因此，可以得出结论，主要的破坏方式是路面车辙而不是广泛的疲劳裂纹。总的来说，人们发现，降低合计骨料基数上的轮胎压力可以改善路面性能，这可以使飞机在薄型柔性飞机场路面上增加操作。在某些情况下，随着轮胎充气压力的降低，表面裂痕得到改善。但是，直到25.4毫米的车辙附近或之后，在大多数测试项目中才观察到有意义的表面开裂量。因此，可以得出结论，主要的破坏方式是路面车辙而不是广泛的疲劳裂纹。总的来说，人们发现，降低合计骨料基数上的轮胎压力可以改善路面性能，这可以使飞机在薄型柔性飞机场路面上增加操作。