Rehabilitation of the VR1 Support Structure, at the Madeira Airport Runway

The present communication presents the rehabilitation options and solutions considered for the support structure of the ER101 at Madeira, consisting of a reinforced concrete solution. Of the possible rehabilitation options, the repair solutions were established based on principles 1, 3 and 10 of NP EN 1504-9, namely protection against chloride ingress, concrete restoration, and adoption of rebar cathodic protection through the application of electrical potential. In the areas with exposed rebar, the solution was the repair through concrete chipping, repair/reinforcement of rebar and complementation of the sections with repair concrete/mortar. The durability of the intervention was assured by the adoption of a cathodic protection system (imposed current system). This solution allowed the reduction of the concrete demolition needed to restore structural integrity, making it faster and safer to implement. It also minimized the environmental impact with reduction of generated waste, while ensuring the extension of the structure’s service lifespan through a system designed for a much longer life than expected for a traditional rehabilitation.