Rehabilitating a runway
Vögele pavers working the night shift at Indonesia’s largest airport
Powerful performance by two SUPER 1880 L pavers: Maximum efficiency, productivity and quality were key to the success of a project, which involved the rehabilitation of a runway spanning 3.6 km in length and 60 m in width at Jakarta Airport.
The Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is the largest airport in Indonesia. The number of passengers and aircraft movements has been increasing dynamically for years, prompting continuous modernisation and expansion work on the infrastructure. Most recently, one of the three runways was due for rehabilitation. This task was all the more challenging given that work could only be carried out at night, when no planes were taking off or landing. Reliable and powerful machine technology was therefore crucial for the paving work on the runway spanning 3.6 km in length and 60 m in width. Two Vögele SUPER 1880 L pavers were chosen for the job. In a ‘hot-to-hot’ process, they paved four new layers, each with a pave width of 8.0 m.
Start of shift at 11 p.m. sharp: during each six-hour night shift, all work on the airport construction site needed to run smoothly if the tight timeframe was to be met.
Rehabilitation of all four layers
Traffic areas that have to withstand the forces of long-haul aircraft weighing several tonnes are subject to the highest loads of all. Among these areas, it is the runways that are put under the greatest strain, having to bear additional thrust and braking forces that are many times higher than the pure aircraft weight. That is why they need to be rehabilitated on a regular basis. The project at Jakarta Airport involved removing all four asphalt layers of the 07L runway, spanning 3.6 km in length and 60 m in width, before repaving it. The structure was as follows:
High paving demands
The paving quality specifications were particularly stringent for this project. At international airports, the requirements for paving are based on the strict regulations of two aviation authorities, namely the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They define a variety of parameters, from mix quality, strength and surface quality to paving precision. Demanding specifications also apply to the formation of joints.
One section per night shift: rehabilitation with no interruption to airport operations
The runway rehabilitation at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was undertaken without interruption to airport operations. During the night shifts from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., one section – a narrow strip perpendicular to the runway – had to be rehabilitated before being actually approved the following morning, and released for air traffic. Each of these sections was completely rehabilitated, that is, all four asphalt layers were renewed.
Thanks to their large material hopper, excellent laydown rate, performance and robustness, the Vögele SUPER 1880 L pavers were perfect for the job.
Well-coordinated teams and reliable technology were crucial to success
In addition to the stringent quality specifications, the timeframe was also tight, given that the paving team could only work at night from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.. Correspondingly, construction site logistics and paving performance needed to meet exacting requirements. Care had to be taken to ensure that sufficient mix was supplied and that it was of the required quality. Airport construction sites like the one in Jakarta therefore require experienced and well-coordinated teams and processes. This also applies to the machine technology used. For the paving work, the contractors, PT Roadmixindo Raya, relied on two SUPER 1880 L pavers from Vögele. Thanks to their large material hopper, excellent laydown rate, performance and robustness, the Universal Class pavers were perfect for the job. They worked within a pave width of 8.0 m each, using a hot-to-hot process – a paving method that ensures particularly dense and stable meshing of the courses and provides long-term protection against water penetration.
Large material hopper allows for uninterrupted paving
Maximum productivity was also crucial on the airport construction site: ‘To make the best use of the working hours, the processes had to run smoothly. This was the only way we could keep to the schedule,’ says Tadjus Tamsil, Director at PT Roadmixindo Raya. One of the key features of the two Vögele tracked pavers, in his view, was the large material hopper with a capacity of 15 t. Its considerable length and low material feed height enabled each truck to easily dock with the SUPER 1880 L and quickly offload its mix. ‘This meant that the trucks were able to supply their mix rapidly, allowing us to maintain a high pave speed and work without interruption.’ Andrew Davian, Project Manager at PT Roadmixindo Raya, adds: ‘The fact that the SUPER 1880 L also made it easy to meet the required criteria for surface quality and paving precision was a huge help for the paving team during demanding night-time operation.’
‘Thanks to the large material hopper, the trucks were able to unload their mix quickly – allowing us to maintain a high pave speed and work without interruption.’
Tadjus Tamsil, Director of PT Roadmixindo Raya
Paving at a width of 8.0 m each: the AB 500 extending screed ensured that the Vögele pavers achieved the required quality and precision.
Excellent pre-compaction and surface quality
The AB 500 TV extending screeds also greatly contributed to the high paving quality. The AB 500 has a basic width of 2.55 m and can be hydraulically extended to a width of 5.00 m. With bolt-on extensions, a width of up to 8.5 m is possible. ‘Maximum quality and surface accuracy are particularly crucial when used in an application like this at an airport, Thanks to the AB 500 together with the tamper and vibration compacting systems, we achieved excellent pre-compaction and, consequently, a very high-quality result,’ says David Gouw Tama Priatna, Director at PT Roadmixindo Raya. In addition, the extending screed reached the specified temperature quickly and evenly thanks to the electric screed heating system. This consistently heats all components that come into contact with the material, ensuring a particularly homogeneous surface structure.
ErgoBasic for simple, intuitive operation
The intuitive ErgoBasic operating concept ensured error-free and precise results in Jakarta. It was developed on the basis of the proven ErgoPlus operating system from Vögele, with the aim of being just as quick, precise and intuitive – yet reduced to the most important paving functions. To complement the ErgoBasic operating system, Vögele has also developed a system for automated grade and slope control, namely the Niveltronic Basic. This system is fully integrated into the machine control system and therefore tailored precisely to suit the SUPER 1880 L. ‘The ErgoBasic is a major plus point of the Vögele paver. The operating concept enables quick and simple control and makes it easier for the paving team to achieve precise results,’ says Faisol Fuad, likewise Director at PT Roadmixindo Raya.
