Aqaba Port is weatherproof thanks to SFRC pavement

The challenge

A container terminal pavement not only has to withstand continuous and heavy loadings from stacked containers, trucks and craneage, but it has to do so in a challenging environment where the effects of sun and wind are compounded by a corrosive, salt-laden atmosphere. Aqaba required a durable high performance solution, and one which moreover could be laid quickly.

The solution

A steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) pavement suitable for this performance class was designed by Arcadis, with input from Bekaert who also took responsibility for concrete mix design and method statement, fiber mixing and quality control on site. Steel fiber is a discontinuous form of reinforcement, so yields higher performance and greater durability in aggressive environments. SFRC is much quicker to cast too (no time and labor on extensive steel rebar fixing), which allows better control of shrinkage when laying the pavement outdoors while exposed to sun and wind.

The economic and timely delivery of the pavement was aided by Bekaert’s presence in the Middle East, with materials delivered from the company’s Dubai facility.