Skip to main content

Hydrodemolition for repairing airport runways

Hydrodemolition is being used for repairing airport runways, making the process faster and improving quality. According to Aquajet Systems, its high-pressure water jets can be used for the controlled removal or scarification of concrete, as well as the removal of paint and rubber, leaving a fresh surface. The Aqua Cutter hydrodemolition robots are said to be highly efficient when working on concrete runway surfaces. The operator controls the high-pressured ceramic nozzles from a distance, adjusting the s
October 1, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
The Aquajet Rotolance attachment can be paired with a hydrodemolition robot to remove a thin layer of concrete
Hydrodemolition is being used for repairing airport runways, making the process faster and improving quality.

According to 2784 Aquajet Systems, its high-pressure water jets can be used for the controlled removal or scarification of concrete, as well as the removal of paint and rubber, leaving a fresh surface.

The Aqua Cutter hydrodemolition robots are said to be highly efficient when working on concrete runway surfaces. The operator controls the high-pressured ceramic nozzles from a distance, adjusting the stroke to control the depth of cuts and vary the pressure of the water jet. The process allows operators to remove just the top layer of concrete or remove the slab in its entirety. During hydrodemolition, the rebar is cleaned and descaled.

Aside from removing the concrete, Aquajet’s Rotolance attachment is used by maintenance crews to remove paint and rubber from the airstrip. The Rotolance uses its high-pressure water jets to roughen the top layer of concrete to provide a better bonding surface. The tool provides water pressure up to 2,500bar and also removes the rubber left by aircraft tyres.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Hamburg-Finkenwerder airport has new runway surface
    August 21, 2013
    Hamburg’s Finkenwerder airport is now benefiting from a new runway surface following work carried out by contractor KEMNA BAU. The company recently used machines from Dynapac to resurface 36,000m2 of the runway track in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, a facility used by Airbus. The airport handles around 10-15 take-offs and landings/day when aircraft are either undergoing flight testing or being delivered to customers, as well as for deliveries of components by transport aircraft. The project was tricky as the
  • Roadtec machines deliver Alaska runway rebuild
    January 26, 2017
    A challenging airport runway project in Alaska has been carried out with the help of Roadtec construction equipment equipped with Topcon machine control systems. Anchorage-based Knik Construction carried out the work at the airport in Yakutat, located in the southeast corner of Alaska. Bounded by the Gulf of Alaska to the South, mountains to the North, and coastal glaciers to the East and West, Yakutat is remote even for Alaska. There are no roads leading in or out and all commerce and access is by air o
  • Removing runway rubber
    April 4, 2012
    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
  • Removing runway rubber
    April 4, 2012
    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