This article aims to distribute information about the indicative ACR calculation method incorporated into the AAA Pavement Concession Calculator. Readers can download the technical commentary report from this article.
Executive Summary
Report Title: Technical Commentary for the Indicative ACR Calculation Method Incorporated into the AAA Pavement Concession Calculator App
The report presents the methodology adopted in the AAA Pavement Calculator App to estimate an indicative Aircraft Classification Rating (ACR) for a given aircraft configuration. The purpose of this calculation is to enable a practical comparison between aircraft loading and aerodrome pavement capacity, expressed through the Pavement Classification Rating (PCR), supporting operational and planning decisions.
The method is based on a simplified analytical formula that considers the key drivers of pavement loading, namely aircraft gross weight, load distribution across the main landing gear, number of wheels, and tyre pressure. Tyre pressure is incorporated using a square root relationship to reflect its influence on tyre contact area and load distribution. This approach improves upon traditional linear approximations while maintaining computational simplicity.
To align with the ICAO ACR–PCR framework, the calculated ACR is treated as the base value for Subclass A, representing high subgrade strength. ACR values for Subclasses B, C, and D are then derived using calibrated ratios obtained from ICAO application outputs, ensuring consistency with expected trends across different pavement support conditions.
The methodology assumes simplified conditions, including uniform load distribution and wheel coordinates equal to zero, meaning that wheel interaction effects are not explicitly modelled. As a result, the outputs should be considered indicative only and are not directly comparable to detailed ICAO calculations that incorporate full pavement response modelling and gear geometry.
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