DUBLIN, IRELAND

Dublin Airport, Ireland

This dual rubblization & break for removal project located at Dublin Airport, Ireland’s primary airport, highlights Antigo’s ability to meet tight schedules and provide multiple fractured slab solutions for the same project. The North Runway, closed for 4 decades, is being rebuilt to give Dublin Airport its 3rd runway. Part of the design called for the full removal of the old runway while other designs called for the rubblization of the old runway so it could be incorporated into the new runway being built. Per design, specific concrete panels were marked for either removal breaking, rubblization or perhaps to leave untouched as they were to remain in place. In many cases these different solutions were applied to panels adjacent to each other, but machine capability and skilled operators ensured the job was completed exactly as designed right down to each panel.

In reviewing the full cost of the operation, the Contractor made the determination that loading smaller sized broken particles into dump trucks increased the hauling capacity for each truckload and made the crushing process of the broken particles significantly more efficient. To achieve small broken particles for removal, Antigo proposed to pre-break the concrete slab with a guillotine-style 8600 Badger Breaker® and then to make a second pass using the multi-hammer MHB Badger Breaker®. This two-step breaking process made for a much better removal process for the excavators on site.

The Contractor also specified a section of the old runway to be rubblized and left in-situ for subsequent overlay. Given the water level is close to the surface having the old runway become a solid sub-base under the new runway will lead to performance gains and cost savings while using an environmentally friendly process.

Antigo used one 8600 Badger Breaker® and one MHB Badger Breaker® for the removal breaking. For rubblization Antigo used these two styles of breakers as well as a vibratory “Z”-grid roller. Antigo completed its removal breaking work in under a week and rubblization was completed over the course of 2 days.