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

  • Singapore F1 racetrack uses Shell technology
    July 20, 2012
    The Singapore Grand Prix at the end of September was a race to remember for many reasons. Formula One's first night race saw excitement on the track, and it was a test for the high-performance surface containing Shell premium grade bitumen binder Cariphalte Racetrack. The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix was staged on a new street circuit and is open to regular motorists. Work on the track started in April 2008 and was completed in just two months. Because the road circuit is used for everyday traffic, the ne
  • Road repairs fuel demand for milling machines
    February 13, 2012
    A need for road repairs is fuelling demand for new milling machines, Mike Woof reports. With many roads in Europe and North America needing repairs, manufacturers continue to meet demand by offering improved compact milling machines, as well as full-sized planers. The versatile and manoeuvrable compact machines can play a useful role in on-site recycling jobs for urban road improvements while the larger mills can be vital for in-situ recycling work.
  • Road surfacing: the case for sustainability
    March 5, 2020
    Erik Denneman* makes the social and business case for sustainable pavements for which much of the technology already exists.
  • Overlay extends bridge's life
    July 24, 2012
    More than 3,000 vehicles a day pass over the US-95 Bridge over Lake Creek near the Coeur D'Alene Tribal Casino in Worley, Idaho, USA. The original deck, built in 2007, was poured concrete with a micro-silica layer added for protection. A QTT weather station with FreezeFree anti-icing technology is mounted in the bridge rail. With big variances in temperature and a lot of wind in this region, the original deck material became thick causing a near 80m length of micro-silica to over-harden. Idaho DOT engineers