Peak paving performance with Dynapac at Shellharbour Airport

Around 6500 tonnes of asphalt were used to upgrade the Shellharbour Airport runway.

Local contractor Roadworx worked with Cleary Brothers on the $20 million upgrade to Shellharbour Airport in New South Wales.

Assigned with the role of asphalt resurfacing, Roadworx used their new Dynapac SD2500WS paver to achieve the major works. In early 2019 Shellharbour Council received $15.97 million funding from the NSW Government’s Growing Local Economies for the upgrade of Illawarra Regional Airport which was later renamed Shellharbour Airport.

In March 2020 works began on the upgrade of the passenger terminal building, the short and long-term car-parks and the runway.

Roadworx were contracted for the runway upgrade which involved 1.8 kilometres of resurfacing spanning 32 metres wide. The work began in April 2020 and in total 6500 tonnes of asphalt were used.

To achieve the works with the required quality outcome and within tight project timelines, as is often the case with airport runway projects, Roadworx made use of its new Dynapac SD2500WS paver from supplier CEA.

Dynapac’s large wheeled pavers are well suited to a variety of sites and conditions from small suburban work to major projects. For this large airport project the SD2500WS was well suited, with a six cubic metre hopper capacity and a theoretical paving capacity of 750 tonnes per hour. The SD2500WS is capable of paving up to 300-millimetre thick with a maximum working width of nine metres.

Stephen Long, General Manager of Roadworx, says they chose the Dynapac paver because it was their largest front-line paver and a project of this magnitude required a paver they knew would produce a quality and uniform mat finish and be reliable across the term of the project.

“We had completed some work with the paver before but not on this scale. It was a good opportunity for us to really put the paver to the test and showcase that Roadworx has the right plant and equipment to deliver complex large scale projects of this nature,” Long says.

“This was also the first runway project we’ve completed using Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) and the second of its kind in the country using SMA for the wearing course. We thought the Dynapac would be well suited to handle the strict specification and productivity expectations.”

Material flow is a major design feature of the Dynapac SD2500WS paver. The shape of the conveyor tunnel has been designed for optimal flow along with minimising segregation. The twin 580 millimetre wide reversible conveyor system works to produce a smooth transfer of material aided by its automatic feed control system. It integrates with the slim designed centre drive auger system which provide the required material flow with minimal material disruption.

On the airport project Roadworx ran the paver at a four metre width.

The V6000TVE screed used on this SD2500WS paver is equipped with both vibration and tamping systems which work to ensure a uniform, homogeneous surface structure and a high pre-compaction, even when working with harsh materials such as SMA.

“I think the paver lays a fantastic mat which is a result of the vibration and tamping system. It has very good level control and the outcome of the finished asphalt is excellent. Over the 32 metre paved width at the airport we ran the paver at four metre wide runs using the automatic levelling beam to remove any undulations in the existing pavement,” Long says.

“When ordering the Dynapac we chose the option to have a laser sensor on the screed board which measures the width of the paving run during operation, this saves the crew time carrying out manual measuring.”

Long says his operators really enjoyed using the machine, with a comfortable cabin lay out and the ability for the entire cabin to hydraulically slide out allowing the operator great visibility and the ability to better communicate with ground workers and the truck spotter controlling truck movements.

“Another good safety feature is the truck indicator lights for entry into the hopper. When the operator is ready to receive material, the paver has a light system, so the truck knows when it is safe to reverse,” he says.

Dynapac’s SD2500WS paver is also designed to reduce noise to around 104 decibels through sound insulation, automatic engine RPM control and hydraulically operated fan speed control. All of this leads to a pleasant and safe working environment for all operators.

Dynapac’s PaveManager Software and Screed Remote Control have recently been upgraded as well to provide increased control of the paver and help operators achieve better quality results faster.

“This was a really high-profile project and the technical support we received was brilliant. We had a technical advisor from CEA on site with us when we began to ensure everything ran smoothly” Long says.

“We will certainly consider Dynapac when adding to the paving fleet, the support we have received from CEA as a supplier has been fantastic.”