On many occasions and in different parts of the world, FAE soil stabilisers and multitasks have helped build these important infrastructures. Recently, an FAE MTH was used for soil stabiliation work at the new Bolzano airport in Italy, a strategic facility for South Tyrol, which is a major tourist and economic destination.
A few months ago, on its runway, national and international charter flights began landing again for business and tourist trips. Then, the need for additional work on the runway reactivated the construction site in anticipation of the airport’s reopening.
The company in charge of the soil stabilisation work for the runway at Bolzano airport is Brunner & Leiter, based in Valle Aurina, Italy since 1975. It received the subcontract for the soil stabilisation work from the airport management company.
“The FAE MTH worked with a FENDT 1038 tractor, stabilising 11,000m2 of soil up to 25cm deep,” explained the project manager for Brunner & Leiter at the Bolzano airport construction site. The machine could have gone deeper, but the specifications told us to work at this depth. The soil wasn’t very difficult to work, but there were still some medium-sized stones, which were no match for the MTH.”
First, they stabilised the soil using only cement. “Before we started milling, we wet the ground slightly. Then, we went over it with the MTH at 0.3km/h. We could have gone much faster, but this way we got the best mixing quality of the worked soil,” he said. “After going over the ground with the MTH, we went over it twice with two different rollers, first a 12 tonne one and then a 9 tonne rubber one. We then wet the ground again and went over it one more time with a Greder, which made the surface smooth and level at all elevations, ready to be paved.”
At the site, they were able to work 3,000m2 a day, taking into account all the necessary processes, while the MTH alone worked for about five days. “We are very happy with the work the MTH did,” he said. “Brunner & Leiter has four other FAEs, and they have always worked perfectly. They are completely reliable.”
