Evaluation of Trapezoidal-Shaped Runway Grooves

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Technology Research and Development Branch initiated research to evaluate a new trapezoidal-shaped pavement groove configuration. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine if the new trapezoidal-shaped pavement groove configuration offered any benefits over the current FAA standard groove configuration, specifically in the areas of water evacuation, rubber contamination, integrity, longevity, and friction values. The new trapezoidal-shaped groove is 1/4 in. deep, 1/2 in. wide at the top, 1/4 in. wide at the bottom, and spaced 2 1/4 in. apart. The current FAA standard groove is 1/4 in. deep, 1/4 in. wide, and spaced 1 1/2 in. apart. Test sections of the new trapezoidal-shaped pavement grooves, along with sections of FAA standard grooves, were installed at the FAA National Airport Pavement Test Facility, the Atlantic City International Airport, Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Researchers conducted water evacuation measurements, analysis of rubber contamination, width measurements, and surface friction tests on the trapezoidal-shaped pavement groove test sections under a variety of conditions and compared the results directly to those of the current FAA standard grooves. The results showed that the trapezoidal-shaped pavement groove configuration offered several benefits over the current FAA standard grooves, including improved water evacuation capability, greater resistance to rubber contamination, better integrity, and improved longevity. The friction values for the trapezoidal grooves were comparable to the FAA standard grooves. Analysis of the data collected during this evaluation indicates that the new trapezoidal-shaped pavement groove should be considered an acceptable alternative for pavement grooving on airports.