Applying a preservation treatment such as Rhinophalt® slows asphalt oxidation before significant deterioration sets in, retaining binder flexibility and extending pavement life. Applied at ambient temperature overnight by a single applicator vehicle, it returns runways to service before the next flying period, avoiding the weeks of downtime, cost and logistical burden of conventional resurfacing.
For a military airbase, a runway out of service is never simply an engineering issue. It is an offline capability. Flying programmes slip, training windows compress, aircraft movements have to be reworked, and the operational cost falls directly on those responsible for keeping the base ready.
Understanding how airfields reach that position is the first step to avoiding it. The common assumption is that a runway is either sound or in need of full resurfacing. The reality is less clear-cut. Most asphalt runways spend years in an intermediate state, structurally more than fit for purpose, yet ageing at the surface. It is this surface ageing, rather than structural failure, that drives much of the disruption airfields eventually contend with.
The mechanism is well established. As asphalt oxidises, the binder hardens and loses flexibility. The surface begins to shed aggregate, the risk of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) rises, and minor ravelling develops into the kind of reactive maintenance that takes assets out of service at short notice. The traditional response is to resurface. But resurfacing a pavement that remains structurally sound applies a structural remedy to a surface problem — weeks or months of downtime, considerable expenditure and a heavy logistical burden, all to replace an asset that had not failed. A preservation-first strategy offers a more disciplined alternative, and one that begins earlier in the asset’s life.
Rhinophalt® slows the oxidation process before significant deterioration occurs, retaining binder flexibility, reducing ravelling, and extending the operational life of existing asphalt, with no detriment to surface macrotexture or skid resistance. It is not a replacement for a runway that has reached the end of its structural life. Instead, it secures properly planned time before major rehabilitation becomes genuinely necessary, allowing works to be programmed and budgeted on the operator’s terms rather than forced by unexpected failure.
For military operators, the method matters as much as the outcome. Rhinophalt® is applied at ambient temperature using a single specialist applicator vehicle and a small support team, rather than the paving crews, heavy plant, and extended logistics associated with conventional resurfacing. The treatment fits within a planned overnight maintenance window, enabling runways and taxiways to be returned to service before the next flying period rather than closed for weeks or months.
The wider benefits are those that matter most to operational and procurement teams alike. A reduced airside footprint means fewer vehicles and personnel within the secure environment, simpler logistics, fewer movements to deconflict, and lower workforce exposure on a live operational airfield. Operational tempo is maintained rather than interrupted. Because a sound asset is extended rather than reconstructed, significant capital expenditure and the associated downtime are deferred until a rebuild is genuinely justified. There is a substantial sustainability benefit as well: embodied carbon up to 95% lower than conventional resurfacing, an increasingly important consideration as Defence net-zero commitments move from aspiration to requirement.
This is a proven approach. Rhinophalt® is already in service across a number of UK and overseas military airbases, adopted by operators who require their pavements available, their airfields secure, and their budgets committed only where the condition of the asset genuinely demands it.
Readiness is built on the ground, long before an aircraft leaves it. Protecting an existing runway — deliberately, and before it begins to fail, remains one of the most effective and least disruptive ways to keep it operational.
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RHiNOPHALT® Asphalt Preservation treatment is best applied when the asphalt is still in good condition, typically within the first five to eight years after the asphalt is laid. This timing ensures the preservation treatment can effectively penetrate and protect the asphalt from oxidation, UV degradation, and water ingress before significant wear and tear occur.
Read full articleRHiNOPHALT® Asphalt Preservation treatment is best applied when the asphalt is still in good condition, typically within the first five to eight years after the asphalt is laid. This timing ensures the preservation treatment can effectively penetrate and protect the asphalt from oxidation, UV degradation, and water ingress before significant wear and tear occur.
Read full articleOver the last few years, our asphalt preservation webinars have given several local authorities and other organisations a true insight into the benefits of Rhinophalt®, asphalt preservation in the UK and around the globe.
The webinars go into detail about why preservation is important and the benefits of using Rhinophalt®, they explain the simple and cost-effective application process and why it is important to use a trusted, original and authentic source of asphalt preservation.
Understand more about how we can help protect and preserve your roads, airports, bridges and other infrastructure for longer.
