What is the pavement interface?
Where airfield lighting meets the pavement: cans and fixtures set flush, cables routed through the layers, and joints and repairs agreed with the civil team.
The pavement interface is where AGL equipment meets the pavement structure. It covers in-pavement fixtures and their base cans, the ducts and slots that carry cable through or under the layers, the joints nearby, and the surface level around each light.
It is a civil interface because the same ground carries aircraft and lights. A can is either placed while the pavement is built or core-drilled into finished pavement and grouted in, so its position, flush level, orientation, bedding and cable route must be agreed between the civil and AGL teams before the surface is closed. A fixture that stands proud can be struck by tyres, and one set low collects water and dirt. The interface changes later too: cutting, joint work and resurfacing alter levels and disturb cans, grout, slots and seals, so agree the work in advance and test the circuits afterwards. Treat any cable as live until it has been isolated, locked out and proved dead, and work to the airport’s permit-to-work.
Where the pavement and the lighting meet: levels, cans, cable routes, joints and later works.
The buried housing that carries one fixture and is set into that pavement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is the pavement interface in airfield ground lighting?
The places where AGL equipment meets the pavement structure: in-pavement fixtures and their base cans, the ducts and slots that carry cable through or under the pavement layers, the joints nearby, and the surface level around each light. It is where the civil and AGL teams have to agree the details before the surface is closed.
Q2Why does an in-pavement light have to sit flush?
A fixture that stands proud can be struck by tyres, and a low one collects water and dirt and can be hard to see. The flange and fixture are set to the surface level within the tolerance in the design and the manufacturer's data, and they are checked before the grout or surface sets.
Q3How do cans and cables pass through the pavement layers?
A can is either placed during pavement construction or core-drilled into finished pavement and grouted in. Cable normally reaches it through a duct laid under the pavement, or through a cut slot that is cleaned, filled and sealed as the design shows. The route and depth come from the design drawings.
Q4Why are cans usually kept clear of pavement joints?
Joints move and are resealed from time to time, and that movement and work can load the can, its grout and its seals. The layout normally sets how far a can sits from a joint. Follow the design drawings and agree any exception with the civil designer.
Q5What happens to AGL when the pavement is resurfaced?
A new surface layer changes the surface level, so fixtures and cans may need raising or resetting, cable slots reinstated, and grout and seals renewed. Agree this with the civil team before the works, and test the circuits afterwards.
Q6Who agrees what at the pavement interface?
The civil side owns the pavement layers, levels, cores, joints and joint sealant. The AGL side owns the light position, can type, orientation, cable routes and testing. Both agree the details before the surface is closed, and again before any later repair or resurfacing.
Q7Where are the requirements defined?
FAA AC 150/5340-30 covers design and installation of airport visual aids, AC 150/5370-10 (current edition) covers construction standards, and ICAO Doc 9157 Parts 3 and 5 cover pavements and electrical systems. Confirm against the current edition, the design drawings and the manufacturer's data.
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