Evaluation of European Rapid-Setting Concrete Products for Airfield Pavements

Abstract: Selecting cementitious repair products overseas to repair spalls rapidly in concrete pavements can be difficult for military personnel. The US Air Force (USAF) is seeking to assess European cementitious repair products to certify them for spall and crater repairs on airfield pavements. The USAF requested the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) to evaluate and test three European manufactured rapid-set materials at the Silver Flag Exercise Site, Ramstein AB, Germany. ERDC evaluated and tested two cementitious products manufactured by Concretum, a company in Switzerland (CH), and one product from CTS Cement Manufacturing Corporation (AC Concrete Rapid Set). The product was provided by Korodur International GmbH, a German distributor (DE). Rapid pavement repair activities are critical to sustaining airfield operations economically and efficiently with existing pavement infrastructure. Repairing spalls and craters in Portland cement concrete (PCC) airfield pavements will help lower repair costs from aircraft impact damage and prolong the service life of the pavement, ultimately saving money over its lifespan. Numerous partial-depth spall and full-scale crater repairs were constructed along existing inner and outer slab joints and backfilled with rapid-setting cementitious repair products following manufacturer mixing requirements. This paper will provide the results from the material evaluations and the determination of their suitability to perform DoD pavement spall repairs where “time to return-to-service” and successful performance are critical.