Earthquake-Induced Damages and Mitigation Methods for Airport Runways

Airport runways are fundamental components of critical transportation infrastructure, requiring high resilience against natural disasters such as earthquakes. Earthquakes can cause significant structural and functional damage to critical transport infrastructure like airport runways. This study presents an analysis of the damage that occurs to airport runways under seismic effects and evaluates existing improvement and mitigation methods. Earthquakes induce various types of damage to runways. The main forms of damage observed due to seismic activity include soil liquefaction, settlement (including differential settlement), crack formation (surface cracking on the runway), surface deformations and structural distortions, drainage system failures, and losses in substructure stabilization. Runways constructed on alluvial soils are particularly vulnerable due to the high risk of liquefaction during earthquakes. Such damage can render runways inoperative, leading to significant delays in emergency response operations. Especially after high-magnitude earthquakes, the operational capacity of runways is observed to be severely affected. There are several pre- and post-earthquake ground improvement and mitigation measures that can be applied. From the perspective of mitigation strategies, current approaches involve both proactive and reactive measures. Proactive methods include the development of seismic design criteria, soil improvement techniques, and flexible pavement systems. Reactive methods comprise rapid damage assessment protocols, emergency repair techniques, and comprehensive rehabilitation programs. The findings of this study highlight the necessity of an integrated approach to enhancing the earthquake resilience of airport runways. This integrated strategy should encompass the entire lifecycle—from design to routine maintenance and strengthening activities—within a comprehensive risk management framework. Based on literature review and field observations from past earthquakes, it is concluded that the application of appropriate improvement methods significantly enhances the seismic performance of runway structures.