EVALUATION OF AIRPORT PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION STRATEGIES: A CASE STUDY OF KIGALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Date

2026-1-23

Author

KABANO , JAMES

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Airport pavement preservation is an economic imperative for developing nations, yet pavement management often remains reactive under severe resource constraints. In the developing-country context, limited historical records and rigid budgets prevent proactive planning and timely preventive maintenance. This study assesses the airfield pavement network at Kigali International Airport (KIA) to identify a feasible Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R) strategy that restores safety and improves long-term performance. A digital inventory and condition database was developed in FAA PAVEAIR using Pavement Condition Index (PCI) results to represent functional condition and support M&R planning. Structural adequacy requirements were verified using FAARFIELD outputs to identify critical sections. Four maintenance scenarios were evaluated: (1) Unlimited Budget, (2) Consequence of Local Repair (CLR), (3) Minimum Condition, and (4) Limited Budget ($1million/year). Over a 10-year analysis period, strategies were compared using first-year funding needs, 10-year life-cycle costs, terminal network condition, and financial feasibility. Results show a critical pavement condition, with a weighted average PCI of 39.7 in 2024. The Unlimited Budget and Minimum Condition scenarios achieve full restoration but require unaffordable first-year capital of $26.8 million. Similarly, the Limited Budget strategy is ineffective; by deferring mandatory safety repairs and allows sections to reach failure. Therefore, CLR is recommended as the best safety-to-cost strategy, requiring $4.6 million in initial funding to mitigate safety risks and stabilize the network within the operational safety window of PCI 40-55. The study contributes a quantified, KIA-specific M&R framework transferable to other resource-constrained airports transitioning to data-driven, safety-focused pavement management.

Subject Keywords

Pavement Condition Index (PCI), FAA PAVEAIR, Airport Pavement Management Systems (APMS), Kigali International Airport (KIA)

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/118452

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis