Airport Streambank Armoring

The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) covers 2,170 acres. Within this space the airport has two asphalt runways: 150 feet x 12,007 feet and 150 feet x 7,099, terminals, concourses, taxiways, and a number of additional impervious surfaces. All of these impervious surfaces contribute to significant storm water runoff.

The airport has Village Creek extending through the facility, running parallel with Taxiway A. Village Creek was once a pure stream that attracted settlers to the Birmingham area. As the industrial age advanced, Village Creek changed dramatically and became a prime example of how uncontrolled urban growth can change native landscapes. Village Creek's water flow increases rapidly during storm events due to the large urban watershed flowing into it.

In 2016, the BHM Airport Authority moved forward with armoring a severely eroded section of Village Creek that was encroaching Taxiway A. The engineering firm tasked with designing this project specified Tied Concrete Block Slope Protection (Flexamat).

Flexamat was specified as the erosion solution for a number of reasons. The flashy stream system required a robust armor with high performance in the high flow environment. Flexamat meets FAA height restrictions in the Obstacle Free Area (OFA) with it's low profile height of 2.25 inches. Additionally, Flexamat is maintainable and helps mitigate wildlife concerns associated with airports.