Background and Problem
Every aircraft landing deposits tyre rubber at the touchdown zone as wheels accelerate from zero to landing speed. Over hundreds of landings, this accumulates into thick, chemically bonded deposits that reduce runway friction to safety-critical levels. The airport’s primary touchdown zone had not undergone a chemical rubber removal programme for 18 months.
Routine friction testing reported a coefficient of 0.38 at the primary touchdown zone — well below the ICAO minimum of 0.50 that triggers mandatory corrective action. Previous pressure-wash-only attempts had removed loose surface contamination but failed to break the chemical bond between rubber polymer and the pavement surface.
The airport required a complete rubber removal solution that could be executed in a single overnight runway closure window and would produce friction test results acceptable to DGCA.
REFA Solution
REFA supplied REFA 1214 RWC Runway Rubber Cleaning Solution — a biodegradable formulation that penetrates rubber deposits and breaks the polymer-pavement bond, allowing high-pressure washing to remove the loosened material. The treatment was completed in a 6-hour overnight window:
- REFA 1214 RWC applied at a dilution via spray truck — full touchdown zone coverage
- 30 minutes chemical dwell time — rubber deposits visibly swelling and losing bond
- High-pressure wash at 2,500 PSI — rubber removing cleanly across full treatment area
- Second application on high-density deposit areas at centreline
- Final water flush and surface inspection
- Friction test conducted before runway reopening
Results
Post-treatment friction coefficient: 0.73 — 46% above ICAO minimum.
- Complete rubber removal in single 6-hour treatment window — no operational disruption to morning flights
- No damage to runway surface, markings, or lighting systems
- Airport authority adopted REFA 1214 RWC as standard product for bi-annual rubber removal programme
- Treatment cost: Rs. 2.8 lakhs — vs. estimated Rs. 35+ lakhs cost of a single diversion day
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