Skip to main content

Removing runway rubber

When Dubai Airport contacted Waterblasting Technologies it faced a number of challenges. One was finding a waterblasting system that would operate successfully in the 42º-52ºC daylight heat of the summer and also to find the fastest and most productive waterblasting system because of very limited runway closure time. Chemicals, shotblasting and other waterblasting equipment had been tried on the runways, but eventually engineers and management chose the Stripe Hog SH8000T manufactured by Waterblasting Tech
April 4, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

When Dubai Airport contacted Waterblasting Technologies it faced a number of challenges.

One was finding a waterblasting system that would operate successfully in the 42º-52ºC daylight heat of the summer and also to find the fastest and most productive waterblasting system because of very limited runway closure time.

Chemicals, shotblasting and other waterblasting equipment had been tried on the runways, but eventually engineers and management chose the Stripe Hog SH8000T manufactured by 362 Waterblasting Technologies.

The system, which can be built on a variety of truck chassis, uses needle sharp water jets to quickly remove all types of roadway and airfield marking paint as well as runway rubber deposit build-up.

According to the company the Dubai airport runways is probably the most challenging rubber removal environment in the world with an average of 800-plus movements a day with summer-time peaks of 1,100/day and an average of only 5-10 days of rain each year.

"With the ability to remove runway rubber deposits on average of 1,672m²/hour and the ability to operate in the extreme heat without breaking down, the SH8000T became the product of choice for the Dubai airport," says Waterblasting Technologies, which also offers the SH8000T or the new SH8000R with optional, on-board water recycling.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Well structured maintenance
    January 4, 2013
    Major bridge maintenance and replacement projects across the world are extending the life of many impressive historic landmarks as Guy Woodford reports The Tamar Bridge, part of the main A38 trunk road linking Saltash in Cornwall with Plymouth in Devon, south west England, marked its 50th anniversary with a steel deck resurfacing project involving Stirling Lloyd's Eliminator bridge deck waterproofing system. Jointly owned by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council, the Tamar has a suspended length of 642
  • Instarmac’s Flowpoint fills in the spaces at Juuliku junction
    February 8, 2018
    UltraScape Flowpoint has been used at three new roundabouts as part of the €11 million Juuliku junction and section upgrade near Tallinn. The 9km project involved reconstructing areas of the road network as well as introducing a new 3.4km section of road, two bridges and viaducts and a two-level interchange. An additional three roundabouts were built with natural stone to assist with the flow of cars and trucks. Maanteeamet (the Estonian Road Administration) required a grout that would be durable and cou
  • E&E Event in Vienna: Transforming bitumen
    November 25, 2022
    The recent E&E Event in Vienna suggests that decarbonisation, digitalisation and diversification are fast changing the road paving sector, reports Kristina Smith.
  • Advanced asphalt plant innovations
    November 30, 2022
    Key advances are being seen in the asphalt plant market, with leading manufacturers developing new systems to produce materials more efficiently and with lower emissions, while using more recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and also offering greater mobility