Field Observation Report: WO-A-0047 Faizabad Airport

Budget information contained herein is for illustrative purposes. All policy, personal, financial, and procurement sensitive information has been removed. The Faizabad Airport construction site was visited on August 23, 2010, by Tetra Tech, as directed by USAID-OIEE and FAA. The site visit aimed to observe the status of building and runway construction. The new buildings were found to be in an early state of construction, with foundations and columns built, and concrete work progressing on floor slabs and exterior walls. The maintenance pit in the service garage had been omitted during floor construction, but it was assured that this pit would be cut into the slab and formed up as per the construction documents. The runway construction was also observed, with the testing procedures used and demonstrated by KNK and FKH engineers. Copies of the project construction drawings and QC data were presented to Tetra Tech for review, but hard copies of the complete drawing set and QC data still need to be obtained by Tetra Tech from KNK and FKH for a complete review and perusal. The QC engineering staff are performing the airport construction QC work in accordance with the REHABILITATION OF REGIONAL AIRPORTS PHASE 1 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS document prepared by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Transport Afghan Reconstruction and Development Services Procurement Unit, Asian Development Bank. The design runway geometry follows a typical airport runway design cross section for the subbase course, crushed base course, and asphalt surface course pavement thickness. The design subbase thickness is 300 mm from Sta 0+000 to Sta 0+500, and is 250 mm from Sta 0+500 to Sta 0+1500. The design crushed base course thickness is 250 mm thick, and the design asphalt surface course (AC) wearing course thickness is 130 mm thick. The on-site testing laboratory is clean and has the appropriate testing equipment, and the on-site field laboratory personnel have a complete set of the relevant project ASTM and AASHTO test procedures in the field laboratory for ready reference purposes. The embankment fill material for the runway had been placed/compacted to a design 1-meter thick fill zone, but reportedly to thicknesses of 1.2 to 1.3 meters locally. The new runway slopes downgradient in the south-to-north direction, and runs parallel to the existing steel sheet runway. No review was made by Tetra Tech of potential offsite drainage problems, but the KNK Building Layout Plan and Site Development Plan do illustrate a proposed cross drainage feature below the proposed taxiway. Two borrow sources, 10 kilometers and 13 kilometers distant, are presently being used for providing source materials for the runway construction, and suitable materials processing is being performed in close proximity to the airport site.