Indianapolis International Airport

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Project Type: Airport

Application: Airport Pavement

Product Used: PETROMAT Enviro

A taxiway at the Indianapolis International Airport was deteriorating and experiencing joint spalling of the existing PCC pavement. This is an active taxiway in the midfield terminal of the airport, which serves about 8.5 million passengers each year. Heavy traffic and moisture infiltration into the wide, flat pavement required a unique overlay design.

The project design team was looking for a sustainable solution that would extend the life of a new asphalt wearing surface by providing a moisture barrier and by retarding the development of reflective cracking. The project engineer included PETROMAT® Enviro in the pavement design. Enviro is a paving fabric interlayer that mitigates stress and stops moisture infiltration in pavements such as this taxiway.

The existing PCC pavement joints were sealed to provide a uniform surface for the PETROMAT Enviro installation. A uniform application of the required PG grade asphalt cement tack coat was sprayed onto the pavement followed quickly by the installation of the Petromat Enviro paving fabric. A three-inch asphalt wearing surface was then placed and compacted.

The heat and pressure of the overlay placement reactivated the tack coat under the fabric, drawing it up to fully saturate the Enviro and bond to the new overlay. The asphalt saturated Enviro interlayer will absorb stresses to slow the development of reflective cracking while the moisture barrier it creates will help lower the moisture content of the pavement foundation layers. This will strengthen the pavement layers and will mitigate freeze/thaw pavement problems.

Even when cracking does eventually return, the Enviro interlayer will stay intact to maintain the moisture barrier and to minimize crack growth. Unlike traditional paving fabric, the sustainable Enviro may be easily milled and recycled back into new asphalt concrete at the end of its service life. PETROMAT Enviro is the most cost effective way to increase the new overlay service life and to minimize future maintenance.