SurePave Case Study | Airport Fire Access Lane

The Problem

Canberra Airport, located in Australia’s capital, operates under challenging weather conditions. Scorching dry summers are prone to bushfires, while periods of intense rainfall can quickly turn open areas into muddy, unusable ground. Maintaining green, functional spaces in such an environment can be difficult, especially in areas that need to support heavy vehicles, especially for emergency services.

To create a turning area for their heavy-duty fire trucks within the main terminal precinct, the airport required a durable, environmentally conscious solution that could maintain a natural grassed appearance while withstanding the extreme fluctuations between drought and downpour. The goal was to deliver a stable, green surface that looked appealing and remained functional year-round, regardless of the conditions, which acted as a test for robust fire access lanes that would remain usable no matter the weather and surface conditions. If successful, the solution for the turning area would be applied to real world conditions within fire access lanes surrounding the site.

The Solution

The answer lay in SurePave, the permeable paving system from Strol. Designed for strength and sustainability, SurePave features an interlocking grid structure that reinforces the surface beneath, distributing heavy loads evenly to prevent soil compaction and rutting.

When installed at Canberra Airport, the SurePave panels were filled and grassed, creating a free-draining, reinforced lawn capable of supporting the weight of the airport’s 35-tonne Bronto fire tower. The system’s high-strength polypropylene construction, made from 100% recycled materials, offered outstanding durability and stability, while its permeable design allowed rainwater to naturally infiltrate the ground below, reducing runoff and preventing ponding.

In addition to its structural benefits, the natural grass finish provided an aesthetic upgrade over traditional hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. This green approach not only helped counteract the urban heat-island effect often created by extensive paved areas, contributing to a cooler, more pleasant environment around the terminal, but it also created a natural, robust and stable surface for heavy machinery that would be required to act fast and have greater access around the airport in case of emergencies.

The Result

The completed display installation at Canberra Airport delivered a stable, green, and environmentally friendly surface that proved capable of supporting heavy vehicle traffic without damage. The SurePave-reinforced lawn successfully carried the weight of the large 35-tonne Bronto fire tower during its showcase, demonstrating the system’s remarkable load-bearing capacity and resilience under both static and turning stresses. This, in turn, provided the results required for the fire access lanes to be completed, giving greater safety and security for the airport infrastructure, crew and passengers.

By reinforcing grassed zones, Canberra Airport demonstrated how functional green spaces can coexist with heavy-duty operational demands, all while improving stormwater management, reducing heat, and supporting a more sustainable landscape.