Robust Reinforcement, Protection & Repairs for South African Airfields
Neoloy® Geocell solutions for military bases and airfields: strengthen runway pavements, quickly repair damaged runways and improve facilities' protection.
The Challenge
Military air bases and airfields need tough, durable pavements and buildings that are reliable, resilient and repairable. These may be paved or unpaved runways, aprons and taxiways or facilities such as hangars and fuel depots that could use an additional protective layer of hardening and reinforcement.
The Neoloy Solution
Neoloy Geocells mechanically stabilize pavement structures. The stabilization increases pavement stiffness, load distribution and design life, making them suitable solutions for the following military air base solutions:
- Stabilized pavements – runways, aprons, taxiways and shoulders (unpaved or paved)
- Rapid runway repair – kits for airfield damage repair (unpaved or paved)
- Reinforced walls – for additional layer of protection for hangars, depots, etc.
Pavements – for even the heaviest military cargo aircraft loads. Furthermore, Neoloy Geocell reinforced airfield pavements can be constructed using locally available but marginal soils instead of high-cost base layer infill – for paved or unpaved airfields.
Rapid runway repair – Kits using Neoloy Geocells are simple to store and quick to deploy. These provide high strength runway repairs that are ready to use after compaction with no curing time. Airfield Damage Repair (ADR) Solution tested by Airfields and Pavements Branch, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (click here).
Earth reinforcement walls – These provide an additional layer of protection around (or above) hangars, depots and other air base facilities, and can be constructed quickly and at very cost-effectively.
Why Neoloy
Neoloy Geocells have higher creep resistance, tensile strength and elastic stiffness than any other soil. Neoloy creates a semi-rigid slab, which separates it from soft subgrade layers and enables it to sustain high dynamic loads over time without deformation.
Neoloy Geocell pavements and reinforced wall structures have been successfully implemented by armed forces, and civilian airports and airfields around the world, for example by the UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS) in South Sudan and the British Royal Engineers in Afghanistan and other classified clientele.
Benefits
- Tested by Airfields and Pavements Branch, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- Stabilize soft soils <1% CBR and increase soil bearing capacity
- Reduce asphalt layer thickness by up to 30%
- Significant saving on construction costs by using local infill
- Quick installation, reducing labor costs during construction
- Lower maintenance costs due to longer life cycle
- Reduced use of aggregate materials
- Use of local infill reduces carbon footprint
- Less maintenance, reducing material and energy required for repairs