MICRO-SURFACING OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND AIRPORT

Downer EDI Limited (Downer) has completed the resurfacing
of the Christmas Island Airport runway using micro-surfacing,
a thin paver applied bituminous-based surfacing that uses
emulsion technology.

Micro-surfacing has been successfully applied on many
regional airports throughout Australia to preserve existing runway pavements and rehabilitate pavement characteristics to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s requirements for surface texture, skid resistance and shape.

The number of larger jet aircraft landing and taking off at Christmas Island Airport has increased in recent times, resulting in the deterioration of sections of the runway. The airport’s operators, Toll Remote Logistics, awarded Downer the contract to undertake a reseal of the runway.

Downer Infrastructure Chief Operating Officer, Sergio Cinerari, said that micro-surfacing was the obvious choice for this type of project.

“Texture depth and skid resistance are critical characteristics in a runway,” Mr Cinerari said.

“Micro-surfacing’s performance exceeds the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s requirements for these criteria and this is a key reason we chose to go with this solution.

“Micro-surfacing can be applied quickly which minimises disruptions to airfield operations and, from a safety perspective, it uses cold emulsion technology that doesn’t produce fumes. This lowers the risk to people and the environment.”

Christmas Island is located in a remote region of the Indian Ocean approximately, 2,600 kilometres north west of Perth and 360 kilometres south of Java. The extreme humidity and the Island’s remote location posed some early challenges and the project was completed in late August after minor delays.

Toll Remote Logistic’s Program Manager, Colin Fort, said he was pleased with the final result.

“I was first introduced to micro-surfacing in mid-2013 and since it was applied at Christmas Island it has exceeded my expectations. I’m confident the runway will continue to provide many years of maintenance-free service to the remote community of Christmas Island.”