Runway rubber removal is not about rubber removal

Every time an airplane lands, it deposits about a pound to a pound and a half of rubber on the runway.  When the rubber accumulates it doesn’t just make black marks on the surface, it begins to reduce the friction needed for safe aircraft landings.

The FAA Friction Survey Frequency table recommends testing that ranges from once a year for runways with less than 15 daily landings to once a week for those with more than 210 daily landings. So the rubber has to go, right?  Of course, it makes lots of black ugly marks on the surface.  But the way the surface LOOKS is not the issue at all. When rubber is removed from a runway it is about restoring the friction, not about removing the black stain.  If a rubber removal operation is removing 100% of the black stain, then it is very likely that a portion of the concrete surface is being removed as well and that results in loss of runway life.  With properly done waterblasting there should be ZERO negative impact, which means no loss of runway life.  Because the friction level is the most important aspect of the surface, not the appearance.  A compromised or damaged surface can cost an airport millions of dollars in runway life.

Learn more about rubber and stripe removal and the Stripe Hog which was voted #1 waterblasting systems seven years in a row.

Contact us a Waterblasting Technologies 772-214-1714 or check out our website – waterblastingtechnologies.com