The contract covered a total of eight Bases along the Eastern seaboard of Australia. The NSW Defence Bases included RAAF Base Williamtown, RAAF Base Richmond, Holsworthy Airfield, Jervis Bay, Nowra and also the following in Victoria, RAAF Base East Sales, Puckapunyal Military Area and RAAF Base Williams (Point Cook).

Defence has a very proactive approach in maintaining and preserving their airfields using specialised contractors and products to ensure the life of the pavements are extended as much as possible.

Summary of works:

• Rubber bitumen bandaging works (RBB).
• Polymer modified emulsion works (PME).
• Fuel resistant membrane works (FRM).
• Asphalt repairs.
• Concrete crack route and sealing.
• Concrete joint sealing.
• Concrete joint small spall repairs.
• Semirigid epoxy repairs (SRES).
• Paint marking and rubber removal.
• Asphalt grooving.
• Airfield in ground and above ground light replacement.
• Rubber removal.
• Runway friction testing.

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Project Components:

• Site establishment including site facilities, temporary fencing, management plans, protection of existing services and dilapidation reports.
• Remove and dispose off-site of excavated materials to the design depth. Removal and disposal to be undertaken in accordance with legislative requirements including all sampling, testing and classification in accordance with EPA requirements.
• Construction of 1.2m wide circular concrete edge beams (background circles) to wind socks and infill with road base and asphalt surfacing to meet contrast requirements.
• Construction of concrete aprons at arrestor cable structures adjacent to the runway.
• Demolition and removal of various concrete footings at runway ends and reinstating with topsoil and turf to match existing levels.
• Provision of as-built documentation.

Key Challenges and Risks:

• Working in a high security environment.
• Working airside requiring Works Safety Officers (WSO) & curfew (night) works.
• Completion and reinstatement including jet blast stabilization by the end of each curfew shift for works within the runway strip.
• Access to the construction site was limited due to the Bases security protocols and operational requirements which include DCAC’s for personnel and engagement of WSO’s. The construction team worked closely with Base ATC & WSO’s to ensure that there was compliance with MOWP requirements while minimising disruption to airfield operations.

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Project Components:

• Conducting waste classification and geotechnical testing of the existing pavement area.
• Removing and disposing of material to an approved waste facility.
• Reinstating multi-layered pavement.
• Supplying, compacting, and laying specialty airport asphalt mix.
• Applying rubber bitumen bandaging to all interfaces with existing pavement.
• Landscaping to surrounding pavement as per airfield standards.
• Reinstating line marking to MOS 139 standards.

Key Challenges and Risks:

• Working in a live airport environment that requires close coordination with the airfield authorities, base operations, and other stakeholders.
• Maintaining safety and preventing F.O.D. (Foreign Objects of Debris) risk during the construction process.
• Ensuring effective communication for all truck movements to and from the work site with trained and approved Work Safety Officers.
• Efficient planning to minimise the duration of works, as the Engine Run-up Pad is a crucial location for all preflight checks.
• Ensuring airfield pavement construction meets strict regulatory standards whilst maintaining quality control throughout the construction process.
• Executing the project safely and within a strict timeline and at the same time minimising disruption to ongoing airport operations which required careful planning, management, and execution.

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