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The 86th Civil Engineer Squadron is repairing the flightline on Ramp Two with an estimated completion date of Aug. 30.
The construction, which began June 3, will focus on installing new drainage systems, and the adjoining concrete is being worked on to decrease any inherent damage to aircraft.
“Over time, there has been differential settlement to the existing drainage grates,” said Garry Jaggers, 86th CES project management section chief. “The differential settling can be created by (foreign object debris) and drop-offs between slabs, causing millions of dollars of damage to aircraft.”
Differential settling is when there are varying height differences in concrete. If enough of the settling occurs, the gaps become larger and can cause damage to aircraft landing gear.
“Just like a car, an aircraft has shock absorbers. The more pounding those absorbers take, the quicker they will become worn out or damaged,” said 2nd Lt. Timothy Lorson, 86th CES program section chief. “The settling also starts to grind and chip off small pieces of concrete at the joints where the settling occurs. This creates an FOD hazard for aircraft engines. Loose FOD can get sucked up in an engine and cause extensive damage.”
The new drainage gates will help prevent aircraft fluids from seeping into the ground, almost eliminating environmental impacts.
“Aircraft fluids are, by majority, either petroleum or chemically engineered to help the aircraft perform better,” Lorson said. “Unfortunately, these fluids can sometimes be incompatible with other environments. Our goal is to leave as little, preferably zero, footprint as possible to sustain a better environment for the future.”
There are more than 580 meters (about a mile) of drains, reformed with rebar and 700 cubic meters of concrete being poured and installed.
“We are always looking for ways to eliminate environmental impacts. It is a continual process that we are continuously improving on,” Lorson said. “This project is just one piece of the hundreds of projects we have done in the past, present or will do in the future to mitigate the impacts we have on the local environment.”
