Runway construction techniques

Wilkins Runway construction Photo: AAD

The Wilkins Runway is constructed out of blue glacial ice, the original intent had been to snowcap the blue ice to raise friction levels for wheeled aircraft operations and improve protection of the ice surface from pitting and melting. Snowcapping requires a narrow ambient temp window which are only and infrequently available in the warmest weeks to ensure the correct reactions can occur between the compressed snow crystals.

In 2006/2007 a snowcap of 1km was constructed on the runway however by the end of the next season it had ablated away. To compensate for the lack of snowpaving, the blue ice runway surface is tillered by a snowgroomer to manufacture higher friction levels prior to each flight of a wheeled aircraft.

The Wilkins site comprises approximately 70% exposed ice and 30% snow cover that is less than 1m deep. The foundation of the runway is natural glacial ice, rolled with proof rollers to ensure that the surface ice has suitable bearing strength and integrity to support the aircraft.

The runway surface has been trimmed into shape using a laser-guided grader fitted with a serrated cutting blade.

The AAD acknowledges the valuable technical assistance that Mr George Blaisdell, working for both Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory and the United States Antarctic Program, has provided during the construction of the runway.

For more information see also:

• Specialist equipment
• This Week in Antarctica 20 January 2006: Runway one step closer
• This Week in Antarctica 8 February 2006: How do you build an Antarctic runway?
• This Week in Antarctica 14 October 2006: Deployment to Wilkins