From the good folks at PRWeb:

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has named the Marco Island Executive Airport Parallel Taxiway and Northwest Apron Expansion Project the winner of the 2012 General Aviation Airport Project of the Year Award.

Hayward Baker, an Odenton, Md.-based leader in geotechnical construction, performed extensive ground modification work for the Marco Island project, which consisted of constructing a new taxiway and apron. This included employing mass mixing stabilization techniques to meet the challenge of preparing the soil for construction.

The subsurface soil profile included a layer of peat and organic silt extending to a maximum depth of 20 feet below the existing ground surface, which, if left untreated, would have resulted in excessive settlement.

Conventional soil replacement and deep foundation solutions were considered, but ultimately rejected due to the significant technical challenges and high costs associated with these options in regard to this particular project. Instead, Hayward Baker improved the existing subgrade soils by means of mass mixing stabilization – the mechanical blending of the in situ soils with dry, cementitious materials.

Employing the mass stabilization technique, the binder reacted with the natural ground water within the peat layer, hardening to form a stable mass with increased shear strength and decreased compressibility – suitable for support of the taxiway and apron.

The scope of Hayward Baker’s work on the Marco Airport Island project included pre-construction testing, design and value engineering analysis, mass stabilization and subsequent soil testing. Hayward Baker’s work was completed within five months, during which time various areas were released for apron and taxiway construction as stabilization was completed.

According to Robert Tweedie Jr., manager of the Collier County Airport Authority, the FDOT’s aviation office selects Airport Project of the Year award winners based on the significant contribution the projects make to airport development, sustainability, efficiency, capacity and/or safety. In addition, all winners are projects funded under the FDOT’s Aviation Grants Program.

Commenting on the Marco Island award, Tweedie says, “We’re extremely proud and honored to have received this very prestigious award on behalf of all who served on the project team. Words cannot express my personal level of gratitude and appreciation for having the opportunity to work with this team of dedicated and talented professionals in accomplishing this great success.”

Jim Hussin, a director at Hayward Baker, expressed satisfaction for the recognition given to the Marco Island Executive Airport project. “We appreciate the FDOT selecting this project for an award,” he says. “Of all the services we offer, mass mixing stabilization was ideally suited for the Marco Island project, resulting in the required soil improvement along with significant cost savings.”