When airplanes touch down, a cloud of smoke is often immediately visible. In a fraction of a second, the tires accelerate from zero to landing speed. Until the rotational speed of the wheel matches the ground speed, the tire skids across the concrete or asphalt. Part of the rubber vaporizes, while the rest remains as a hard, black skid mark on the runway.
This rubber buildup accumulates rapidly and, especially during rainfall, creates an extremely slippery surface that significantly increases the risk of aquaplaning. To guarantee the safety of passengers and crew, international aviation authorities (such as EASA and FAA) require strict maintenance of runway friction values. Depending on flight intensity, periodically cleaning airport landing strips with high-pressure is therefore an absolute necessity.
Especially in summer, the concrete surface of a runway can reach temperatures of 50°C (122°F) or higher. In this heat, the rubber wear fuses so strongly with the surface that traditional cleaning with brushes or light chemicals simply no longer works. To safely dissolve this permanent bond without damaging the macro-texture of the runway, powerful, specialized cleaning equipment is required.
That is why LMT, in collaboration with a leading sweeper manufacturer, has designed an advanced high-pressure cleaning vehicle for professional runway and surface treatment. This vehicle, which we have now supplied to various international airports, utilizes ultra-high-pressure (UHP) to restore the runway. By utilizing systems for cleaning airport landing strips with high-pressure at up to 2500 bar, the rubber is completely pulverized and immediately vacuumed up dust-free.
A vehicle of this caliber requires a pump system that continues to perform flawlessly under extreme conditions. As the official Benelux partner of KAMAT, we have equipped this runway cleaner with high-quality KAMAT plunger pumps. These pumps are the global industry standard for ultra-high-pressure applications.
A unique and special feature of our vehicles is the drive system: both the KAMAT high-pressure pump and the surface cleaner are fully hydraulically driven. In addition, the vehicle’s propulsion is hydrostatic, ensuring an extremely constant, slow driving speed. This is essential to guarantee a 100% uniform cleaning result over the entire length of the runway.
Besides ensuring the correct friction (skid resistance) on the runway, water blasting under ultra-high pressure offers major ecological advantages. The process requires no harmful chemicals, and the wastewater, including the dislodged rubber particles, is immediately collected in the vehicle by the integrated vacuum suction. This prevents microplastics and polluted water from entering the groundwater surrounding the airport. In this way, LMT’s installations not only help airports ensure safety but also achieve their sustainability goals.
We cater to airports, defense organizations, and specialized infrastructure contractors who only want to work with the best equipment.
Are you responsible for runway maintenance and looking for safe and efficient equipment for cleaning airport landing strips with high-pressure? Contact the engineers at LMT directly for a customized consultation.
