Skip to main content

Runway rebuild for Detroit airport

A US contractor has employed equipment from Guntert & Zimmerman to help carry out a runway rebuild at Detroit Metro Airport The busy airport handles around 30 million passengers/year and the project had to be carried out in a tight timeframe as a result, with the paving crew working 16 hours/day to meet the schedule. Ajax Construction has been using its G&Z S850 paver for the work, which was needed as the existing concrete surface on runway 4L/22R had suffered from an alkali silica reaction (ASR). The
January 25, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Equipment from G&Z has been used to rebuild a runway suffering from alkali silica reaction
A US contractor has employed equipment from 225 Guntert & Zimmerman to help carry out a runway rebuild at Detroit Metro Airport

The busy airport handles around 30 million passengers/year and the project had to be carried out in a tight timeframe as a result, with the paving crew working 16 hours/day to meet the schedule.

Ajax Construction has been using its G&Z S850 paver for the work, which was needed as the existing concrete surface on runway 4L/22R had suffered from an alkali silica reaction (ASR). The 3km long by 46m wide runway had to be replaced, using a total of 170,438m3 of PCC concrete. The 457mm of crushed aggregate base for the concrete runway was retained however as the base for the new concrete surface. The paver was used along with texture cure equipment from 218 GOMACO and Guntert & Zimmerman for the project as well as 2122 Trimble stringless machine control technology, so as to ensure the surface would meet the tight specifications of the runway project.

The runway was closed for the work and the old concrete was milled out to a depth of 432mm, along with 75mm of the 228m bituminous base underneath, leaving the 457mm crushed aggregate base untouched. Paving was carried out in multiple passes to a width of 5.7m, with 510mm dowel bars also being used. The project also called for full depth reclamation of the asphalt shoulders and their aggregate base structures, and their replacement with new layers. New 127mm deep asphalt shoulders were constructed on top of 228mm aggregate base structures on either side of the runway, along with underdrain improvements to optimise water removal after heavy rain showers.

Other work included installing new, high efficiency LED runway lighting for the resurfaced runway as well as new markings and security fencing.

There is still a portion of the work for the airport to be carried out in 2017 and this will involve additional paving for some taxiways and parking areas.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Sumitomo machine for Swiss paving work
    August 28, 2019
    A contractor in Switzerland is making good use of an asphalt paver supplied by Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo. lanes, with a width of 5.8m and laid do
  • Ageing Liberty Tunnels in US refurbished with hydrodemolition
    May 13, 2015
    Hydrodemolition surface preparation keeps Liberty Tunnel rehabilitation project on schedule in Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania state Department of Transportation selected hydrodemolition surface preparation for the US$18.8 million rehabilitation of Pittsburgh’s Liberty Tunnels. Time was of the essence to complete the project on deadline without penalties and hydrodemolition was selected as it offered a fast and cost-effective method to prepare the tunnel walls for a new, shotcrete surface. This methods off
  • Versatile concrete paving
    February 8, 2012
    GOMACO has designed its new GP-2400 concrete paver to be highly versatile, able to slipform tight radii as well as widths of up to 7.3m. The machine runs on the firm's 3m series two tracks to permit the tight turn capability and also reduce transport width to just 3m. The sophisticated GOMACO G+ control system is fitted and this comes with a self diagnostics package for grade and steering. The system is said to feature easy-to-operate hardware with steering and travel dials as well as buttons to control ele
  • Versatile tools for road reclamation
    January 25, 2023
    A notable development in the off-highway equipment sector is the development of new generation road reclamation tools