Análise do custo do ciclo de vida das estratégias para manutenção da resistência à derrapagem em pista de pouso e decolagem

Abstract

Maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) of airport pavements are essential to ensure skid resistance, which directly impacts the safety of landing and takeoff operations. To comply with the guidelines set by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), airport operators must carry out M&R in a way that optimizes scarce financial resources while maintaining optimal operational safety conditions. In this context, Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) provides a rational framework to support M&R decisions, promoting the efficient use of resources. This study aims to evaluate M&R strategies focused on ensuring skid resistance on Brazilian runways, based on LCCA. Three M&R scenarios were compared for three runways with different surface treatments (asphalt concrete, grooved asphalt concrete, and porous friction course), focusing on maintaining skid resistance, as measured by the friction coefficient. The study used predictive models based on historical data to estimate the behavior of the friction coefficient and determine the appropriate timing for interventions on each runway. The economic evaluation using LCCA was carried out through Net Present Value (NPV) analysis, both deterministically and probabilistically, considering direct costs, and was complemented by a cost-effectiveness analysis. A reduction in the friction coefficient was observed in all three runways after the last rehabilitation, indicating surface texture wear and suggesting that isolated rubber removal may not be sufficient, thereby highlighting the need for M&R interventions.The LCCA results showed that preventive maintenance is more advantageous regardless of surface type, as it reduces both costs and their variability, in addition to being more effective in preserving skid resistance. Conversely, performing rehabilitations only when the friction coefficient falls below the minimum threshold results in higher costs and compromises operational safety. The runway with grooved asphalt concrete presented the highest predicted friction coefficient values; however, it incurred higher life-cycle costs. LCCA proved to be effective in the economic evaluation of M&R strategies aimed at ensuring skid resistance, enabling the efficient allocation of financial resources and contributing to pavement durability and operational safety.