Gilsonite Asphalt for Airports and Heavy-Duty Pavements

Airport aprons, container terminals and industrial yards carry very heavy, slow or stationary loads. These pavements need extra stiffness.

Heavy-duty challenges

• Point loads from aircraft gear and container stackers
• Slow-moving and parked loads
• Fuel spills on airfields

Benefits of gilsonite

• High stiffness and rut resistance
• Improved resistance to deformation under static loads
• Enhanced resistance to some fuels and oils compared with unmodified binder

Typical uses

• Aircraft aprons and taxiways
• Container yards and port roads
• Truck terminals and loading docks
• Industrial floors in asphalt

Design tips

Use higher gilsonite dosages (8–12% of binder) with appropriate aggregate gradation, and confirm with wheel-tracking tests.

Loads compared

Design considerations

Use stiff binders, strong aggregate skeletons and adequate thickness. Check resistance to fuel spills where relevant.

See our asphalt modifier grade gilsonite. Related: fuel resistance of gilsonite asphalt.