Joint repair at Frankfurt Airport
Rehabilitation in sync with operations

To ensure that the surfaces remain safe at all times, these joints must be maintained regularly. That is precisely what we do: planned with precision, carried out cost-effectively and closely coordinated with flight operations.

Joints at the airport

Airfield surfaces consist of large concrete slabs separated by narrow gaps: the joints. These allow the concrete to move in a controlled manner during temperature changes, shrinkage and settlement, without uncontrolled cracks forming.

However, the surfaces and joints are exposed to many extreme stresses: high wheel loads, kerosene, temperature fluctuations, rain and frost take their toll. Due to the high mechanical and chemical stress, the joints in particular become typical maintenance hotspots and must be regularly refurbished. 

This is also the case at Frankfurt Airport.

Renovation of runways and taxiways

We have been working at Germany’s largest airport since spring 2025. Working continuously at night and to a tight schedule to minimise disruption to operations, our team, together with a partner company, did everything possible to restore defective joints to good condition.

Joint repairs follow a clear procedure: first, we completely remove the damaged joint sealant. Next, the joint flanks are recut, the joint edges are chamfered and the joint is prepared for resealing. In the final
step, the joints are refilled with cold sealant. The result is a tight, elastic joint that can withstand heavy loads. 

By September, our team had repaired over 126,000 metres of joints in this way, to the complete satisfaction of Fraport AG.

Trial work at the airport

To show what goes into this work, René Sulski from ‘Mehr als ein Probetag”’ accompanied us on site. With his camera, he captured how our team works at night, what steps are involved in joint renovation and how closely the operation is intertwined with ongoing flight operations.