RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire – home to the Red Arrows and the Dambusters of 1943 – has had its runway resurfaced with a new durable material. Stone Mastic Asphalt enhanced with polymer modified bitumen was specified – the first time it has been used on a military runway renewal contract.

The material was chosen to extend the design life of the runway, the need to comply with friction characteristics and to provide added resistance to reflective cracking caused by the underlying concrete foundation.

Aggregate Industries was appointed by contractor BAM Nuttall to supply asphalt and carry out the works. Surfacing material included the polymer modified binder Endura Z, produced by the bitumen supplier Nynas.

“The complex mix design, incorporating the specialist binder, both increases the material’s flexible properties and helps it resist deformation while still giving good workability,” said Aggregate Industries’ technical manager Neil Leake. “This is especially important on this type of airfield scheme.”

Nynas asphalt engineering support manager Jukka Laitinen added: “Our Endura range has been available for over six years and in that time has performed well on a series of airfields and other high stress applications and contracts. It provides an asphalt with a good balance between workability and durability.”

A feature about the runway renewal contract appears in the July issue of Transportation Professional published next week.

To return to the newsletter, please close this window.