Port & Terminal Pavements

We provide specialist pavement and design testing services, to meet the needs of port and terminal operators. Our services support design, rehabilitation and expansion of heavy-duty pavements, hardstands and terminal sites. We bring extensive knowledge of asphalt and concrete materials, stabilised and permeable bases, traffic loads, joint design, subsurface drainage and overall pavement performance. Pavements are a huge investment for any Agency. Profitability and operational efficiency are greatly impacted by early pavement failures, poor performance and expensive repairs. For a port or terminal, having a section of pavement out of service to allow repairs, is very expensive in terms of downtime cost per hour and the impact on facility processes. Our high-quality testing and condition assessment services, support early identification of potential problems. We design preventative maintenance programmes to minimise downtime which could be caused by pavement issues.

Rehabilitation Design

We conduct detailed evaluations of the existing pavement structure, to confirm current structural and functional conditions, identify causes of the pavement deterioration and estimate the remaining pavement life. We then complete the following steps, to design and develop an appropriate repair strategy:

  • Identify feasible rehabilitation alternatives

  • Conduct a detailed review of each alternative

  • Perform a lifecycle cost analysis to identify the most cost-effective option

  • Undertake laboratory testing of proposed materials

 

Testing

HWD - Heavy Weight Deflectometer
GPR - Ground Penetrating Radar
Geotechnical - Boreholes, coreholes and test pits.
Visual inspection - Identification and assessment of pavement distress and cracking.

 

HWD: Structural Testing

A heavy vehicle bends the pavement, introducing some permanent distress into the pavement structure. In bitumen and cement-bound materials, this causes fatigue and in unbound granular materials, it plastically deforms, including the subgrade.

Structural Testing applies a known load, similar to the dynamic effects of a moving truck and measures the strains thus produced in the pavement.

Structural Evaluation includes analysis of the data to identify the characteristics of the pavement materials and calculation of the likely performance under load.

Evaluation also compares the project design specifications to the completed works, to check whether the predicted traffic volumes and loads will be supported.

GPR: Non Destructive Testing

GPR is used to located utility lines and reinforcement bars, monitor pavement and runways, changes in inlayer thicknesses and voids and identify moisture levels. For port and terminal pavements, GPR is used to locate load transfer bars and detect possible voiding beneath the concrete.

Geotechnical Testing

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Visual Inspection

Our suitably-qualified and accredited Senior Pavement Engineers conduct visual inspection of port and terminal pavements.