![]() ![]() ![]() In terms of aircraft operations (takeoffs and landings), Detroit Metro is one of the 10 busiest airfields in North America. DTW is a major international airport in the United States and one of the largest air transportation hubs in the country. The Airport Authority had allotted a tight 180-day schedule in order to minimize the disruption. The runway is substantial because it is 10,000 feet long (almost two miles) and it is where the jumbo jets, such as the Boeing 747 wide-body commercial jet airliner and cargo aircraft land. The nearly 3½-foot thick structure is built in three layers - 17 inches of concrete, 9 inches of asphalt and 16 inches of crushed stone. ![]() The project called for replacement of the top layer of concrete and a small portion of HMA base under the concrete. That damage is compounded as more areas are opened to moisture.Īfter years of maintenance on the runway, the Wayne County Airport Authority decided it was necessary for a partial runway reconstruction of Runway 4L/22R and associated taxiways. The reaction produces a gel, which swells and expands the concrete, leading to cracking and other damage. The Federal Highway Administration said in one its fact sheets that ASR is a widespread problem and major cause of “concrete deterioration” in the lower 48 states and in other countries.ĪSR happens when the crushed stone, sand or other materials that make up concrete react with cement paste that has a high level of alkalinity, when moisture is present. ASR causes concrete to expand and crack when exposed to moisture over time.Įxplanations on how ASR forms include the new cement manufacturing standards because of new environmental standards, highly reactive sand, and the widespread use of winter de-icers on runways and roads. The problem was identified as alkali-silica reaction, or ASR. In fact, other concrete paved surfaces constructed in that time frame in Michigan and beyond had similar problems, as the Detroit Free Press reported. ![]() Expected to last 30 years, Runway 4L/22R had issues arise a mere three years later when cracks and flaws in the concrete required maintenance to restore the smooth landing surface. It was almost as though the $225-million runway that the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) had added in 2001 was jinxed from the get-go. Milling the old asphalt runway structure becomes key Partial runway reconstruction for Detroit Metro Airport ![]()
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