Located approximately 5 miles from downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Tulsa International Airport (TUL) has an airfield comprised of a 10,000-foot main north/south runway (18/36) and a cross-wind runway (8/26) intersecting near the center. The existing north/south runway was originally constructed in 1941 with a subsequent rehabilitation performed in 1982 and began to show signs of aging and distress.
Kleinfelder was selected by the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust to perform quality assurance (QA) materials testing services. These services included field and laboratory testing of concrete, asphalt, soil, aggregate, chemically stabilized soils, and cement treated base per the FAA requirements.
The primary challenge was that the airport remain fully operational during construction. Kleinfelder assembled a significant number of resources with availability to provide QA services at various times throughout the day in order to be responsive during timeframes that minimally impacted operations. During reconstruction of the intersection between the main runway and crosswind runway, Kleinfelder was on continuous standby in order to provide testing needs at any time during a runway closure. Kleinfelder’s local lab was also ready at all times to provide the contractor with flexural strength testing, on short notice. Kleinfelder also contributed to the development of a document control process that tracked and provided easy access to test reports once a task was completed.
By working closely with the project engineer, Kleinfelder was able to provide test results in a timely manner to support the project schedule and remain on budget. Kleinfelder’s flexibility, coordination with the contractor, and constant monitoring of airport activities and radio communications, allowed for testing services to be delivered without interrupting airport operations.
Location:
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Owner:
Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust
