Runway rehabilitation design of Cork Airport

Fjori was engaged by AECOM and Dublin Airport Authority (the owners of Cork Airport) to advise on, and carry out, runway rehabilitation designs at Cork Airport. The runway at Cork Airport was initially surveyed by Fjori staff and a PCN evaluation undertaken. It was noticeable that the pavement foundation stiffness was much lower in the central third of the runway width than in the outer areas. This was due to water ingress through the reflection cracks in this zone.

  • DAA / Cork Airport
  • AECOM / Fjori Ltd
  • Cork, Ireland
  • 2012-13
  • Runway PCN Evaluation
  • Airfield pavement rehabilitation and strengthening design
  • Development of prescriptive specifications, including all methodology
  • Airfield works phasing review
  • AGL Integration Design
  • The airport operates from only one runway, and therefore all works had to be designed and planned to be carried out at night in order for the runway and taxiways to be available for operations during daytime
  • Details were designed to rectify and delay reflection cracking in order to stop water getting into the foundation
  • The project included a detailed evaluation of the Pavement Classification Number (PCN) in order to make recommendations for targeted repairs within a limited budget
  • Detailed were developed that could be installed within a short nighttime runway possession period

Fjori recommended to DAA that the airport continue with a programme of reflective crack sealing in order to stop the degradation of the foundation and potentially reverse the loss in stiffness.

Fjori designed and specified a number of measures including asphalt reinforced patch repairs, asphalt crack sealing, and overband sealing. All works had to be undertaken at night due to Cork Airport having only one runway.