Atlanta's Instant Runway

Abstract

Operators of existing airports, are keenly aware of the necessity for maintaining and improving their present facilities with minimum interruption of operations. Atlanta's unprecedented instant runway is a successful accomplishment in this direction. A 10,000-ft-long, 150-ft-wide runway, parallel taxiway, and related exits were removed and replaced in just 40 calendar days. The old runway, 9-in. concrete pavement over 6-in. stone subbase, was removed and replaced with 16 in.–20 in of concrete pavement, over 6 in. of compacted aggregate subbase, and 6 in. of cement stabilized subgrade soil. The new section also included a longitudinal and herringbone underdrain system. Modern auto-sensing slip form pavers rolled day and night, taking dump trucks of concrete and stacks of wire mesh to produce 16 in. of pavement 25 ft wide standing alone.