Abstract
The Australian developed mechanistic design tool for flexible aircraft pavement thickness determination, Aircraft Pavement Structural Design System (the program APSDS) requires a designer to enter a number of input parameters and then returns a pavement thickness. With the exception of subgrade modulus, all parameters have a linear impact on total pavement thickness. Of all the pavement input parameters, subgrade modulus is the most influential on total pavement thickness, with aircraft mass also important. The influence of asphalt modulus and aircraft tyre pressure are shown to be small for most practical pavements. These relative influences are consistent for all medium to large aircraft, and for aircraft traffic mixes that contain a significant number of at least one medium to large aircraft.