Skip to main content

Removing runway rubber

When Dubai Airport contacted Waterblasting Technologies it faced a number of challenges.
February 20, 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

  • Apps for all in Louisiana
    May 20, 2020
    Jason Barnes* looks at how a system of engagement (SoE) from software specialist Esri helped the US state of Louisiana’s transportation department create user-friendly apps
  • Asphalt paving trial for mat quality using MTVs
    December 8, 2015
    An asphalt paving trial at Rome Airport tested mat quality with and without the use of MTVs Rome’s airport Fiumicino or the Leonardo da Vinci Airport of Rome is one of Europe’s busiest airports and lies 25.6km southwest of the city, a 30-minute train ride away.
  • Rising to the challenge
    July 18, 2012
    Visualise today's concept of a major commercial traffic corridor in the western United States. A roadway responsible for delivering goods to Arizona, Nevada and Utah, that also connects Mexico to the United States to Canada through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). What springs to mind? A multi-lane highway carrying thousands of vehicles a day past cities at speeds up to 113km/hour, while egress ramps make sure vehicles get safely to city streets and their final destination. This is not the c
  • Degaroute MMA markings boost safety on Cairo-Sharm El Sheikh road
    July 30, 2019
    Since Egypt’s tourism sector is booming and the north African country transports 90% of goods by road, improving the highways is a high priority.