High Performance and Rapid Setting Concrete for Airports Roads, the Experience of Madrid-Barajas Airport

This report details the reconstruction of 12,500 m 2 of 7.5*7.5*0.4m concrete slabs on the Madrid-Barajas airpoi't apron, using high performance and rapid setting concrete (HPRSC). HPRSC is an ideal concrete for this type of repairs, given that within six hours of placing the slab is able to bear its normal load and the apron can be opened to traffic. The HPRSC designed for this project was manufactured using commercial cement and materials similar to those used in standard concrete, and without the need for silica fume to accelerate setting and hardening of the material. In order to achieve satisfactory results, it is essential that the concrete plant be equipped with a concrete mixer and weight-controlled batching system. At present there are two tendencies in the production of HPRSC: traditional HPRSC of a high viscosity, consistency and density, and new self-levelling E-IPR,SC The former require powerful spraying systems, such as slip-form payers, whilst the latter may be placed using a simple concrete surface finisher. The optimal dosing of the different components is obtained following the methodology developed by the Rigid Paving Team at the IETcc, characterised by its use of special techniques such as ultrasonic energy, which allows constant monitoring of HPRSC behaviour throughout proportional volume changes of solid, liquid and gaseous phases The durability and performance of this type of concrete is far superior to those of standard concrete, and its use is recommended for minimum maintenance paving. Finally, since the repairs to the Madrid-Barajas apron were carried out in mid 1996, the performance delivered has been excellent.