Geosynthetics October/November 2023 - 30

Safe Travels: Airports zone in on geotextiles
Tensar worked with the pavement
Tensar estimates
that use of the
company's product
at the airport saved
millions of dollars
for its customer.
designers to mechanically stabilize the
recycled concrete aggregate subbase so
that sub-excavation and removal of the
subgrade soil was not required. The project
was originally specified with Tensar
TX7 geogrid and a nonwoven geotextile
for filtration. During the project, it
became clear that another Tensar product,
InterAx® NX750 geogrid, would provide
better performance.
" Tensar InterAx features an improved
geometry that stabilizes a broader range of
aggregate types, " says Hewgill. " Typically
stone, sand or gravel are used in these
projects. But in this case, a unique part of
the project is that they 'rubble-ized' the
existing concrete runway and reused it as
the aggregate subbase and aggregate base
below the new runway. "
Reusing the concrete was a plus.
This move eliminated the need to further
excavate the soils and truck in more
aggregate to build the area up, saving
time and carbon emissions.
Looking ahead, Hewgill says longterm
viability of stabilization with
geogrids is a focus. Tensar is researching
how these products stand up to various
types of uses and conditions.
" We've done additional research
which quantifies how these products
perform under heavily loaded situations
or applications, and that's allowed for
more precise design to be carried out, "
he says. " In addition, we have quantified
volumetrics in every design module in
our software so you can quantify the
cost, time savings and the savings of
embodied carbon. "
Establishing that these products benefit
the environment is another focus.
" The new trends are about quantifying
sustainability, and that's where we've
achieved environmental product declarations
on these products, " Hewgill says.
" We are in a position to help clients who
need to quantify a reduction of carbon. "
Hewgill believes the Toronto airport
would not have reached its time or cost
goals without InterAx. " They would
have gotten into more excavation and
more haulage of rock, " he says. " They
could've extended this project by another
few months. We can easily say that we
reduced time by 25%. "
Pearson, he adds, has been satisfied
with geogrid. " Toronto Pearson Airport
has used geogrid almost every time they
have ever reconstructed taxiways, runways
and the areas around gates, " he says.
" They've used it all the time over a long
period of years because they don't want
to get into removing any material from
their property. "
Tensar estimates that use of the comFIGURE
2 Ensuring smooth landings and benefiting the environment, the existing concrete runway
was " rubble-ized " and reused as the aggregate sub-base and aggregate below the new runway at
Toronto Pearson Airport. Photo courtesy of Tensar
30
Geosynthetics | October November 2023
pany's product at the airport saved millions
of dollars for its customer.

Geosynthetics October/November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics October/November 2023