Repair and freeze thaw protection to 15,300m² fibre reinforced concrete slabs at NATO airbase.
Background
With responsibility for the airspace of South West Finland, the Satakunta Air Command needs to keep operational, so an Apron out of action was out of the question.
Due to aggressive aviation fuel and hydraulic fluid deposits, together with the effects of harsh winters, the concrete slab was badly cracked and the surface was shedding loose aggregate. With the growing threat of FOD (Foreign Object Damage) an urgent remedial programme was needed.
The Solution
Replacement of the existing slab was the first thought until a less expensive and less disruptive solution was proposed. The Flexcrete system was adopted, and with the aid of a mobile enclosure as a shield from the weather, the project began with epoxy injection of the cracks. Re-profiling of the surface was undertaken with Fastfill before Cemprotec E-Floor was applied overall to each section in turn. Whilst still wet, epoxy coated grit was spread to give an anti-skid surface, and then sealed with Cemprotec Sandseal 75. This system is easy to install and has excellent wear properties.
Client
Satakunta Air Command, Pirkkala, Finland ( Ministry of Defence)
Contractor
Karppakon Oy
Project Profile - Satakunta Air Command