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Stabilizing and lifting a depressed airport manhole in just 3 hours

Challenge

A 60mm depression formed around a manhole at Al Maktoum International Airport, creating a safety hazard for aircraft and ground vehicles. Traditional repair methods would have required days of closure for milling and resurfacing.

Solution

Geobear used precision geopolymer injection to lift the depressed pavement back to grade and stabilize the sub-base. The entire operation was completed in just 3 hours with zero disruption to airport operations.

3 hours

Total time to complete the lift and stabilization

60mm

Lift achieved to restore flush surface levels

0

Operational downtime or runway closures required

Background

Depressions around manholes are a persistent engineering challenge in airside infrastructure. Manholes are rigid concrete structures, while the surrounding pavement is flexible. Achieving perfect compaction against this stiff structure is difficult, and vibration from aircraft (dynamic loading) often causes the surrounding soil to settle. If the manhole is used as a soakaway, water ingress can wash out fine sands, exacerbating the settlement.

At Al Maktoum International Airport, this differential settlement had created a significant dip, posing a risk to safety and drainage performance.

Challenge

The pavement surrounding the manhole had settled by 60mm, creating a hazardous depression. In an active airport environment, this "bump" can damage aircraft landing gear and ground support equipment (GSE).

The traditional solution—milling out the asphalt, re-compacting the base, and re-laying the surface—would have taken several days. This would necessitate closing the area to traffic, causing logistical delays and incurring significant operational costs. The client needed a rapid solution that could restore the surface profile without extended downtime.

Geobear techs working at a manhole cover on an active airfield

Solution

Geobear deployed its precision geopolymer injection technology to treat the problem in-situ.

1. Access: small-diameter holes were drilled through the asphalt pavement around the perimeter of the manhole.

2. Injection: A high-density, expansive geopolymer resin was injected into the sub-base and subgrade soils.

3. Stabilization & lift: The resin expanded, filling the voids caused by washout and compaction. As the material hardened (in seconds), it exerted a controlled upward force, lifting the settled pavement back to be flush with the manhole frame.

4. Verification: laser levels were used to monitor the lift in real-time, ensuring millimeter-accurate alignment with the surrounding surface.

Geobear vehicle in background with manhole work in foreground at airport tarmac

Results

The team successfully lifted the depressed area by 60mm in just 3 hours.

Rapid return to service: The area was stable, smooth, and ready for traffic immediately after the team cleared the site.

Restored drainage: By re-leveling the surface, proper water run-off was restored, preventing pooling and further erosion.

Cost savings: The solution avoided the high indirect costs associated with closing airside access routes, offering a far lower total cost than conventional reconstruction.

Settlement on your runway or taxiway?

We stabilize airside pavements and manholes in hours, not days. No excavation, no cure time.

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