Beneath the Build: What Contractors Can Learn from Crane Pavement Challenges

Intermodal facilities present some of the most extreme loading conditions in civil infrastructure, especially when it comes to supporting massive gantry cranes. With loads exceeding 1.5 million pounds and concentrated wheel paths that never vary, the demands on pavement systems are intense and relentless.

For civil engineers and contractors, understanding how to build for these conditions is critical. One of the most effective solutions is to utilize geogrid to stabilize the soil underneath. In this episode of Beneath the Build, Paul takes us to a site where InterAx geogrid is being used for the repair of the gantry strip. Here are some lessons learned by the contractor:
 

• How repeated point loads cause rapid pavement distress: Unlike highway or warehouse traffic, gantry cranes apply high intensity loads repeatedly along narrow strips. This repeated pressure magnifies the risk of subgrade failure, rutting, and deformation—unless the aggregate layers are suitably stabilized.
• Why conventional pavement designs fall short: Traditional pavement sections often don’t account for the unique loading patterns seen in rail and port environments. Engineers must evaluate site-specific load paths and subgrade variability to design a system that lasts.
• How Tensar InterAx geogrid solves these challenges: InterAx has been used successfully across multiple intermodal facilities to improve load distribution, reduce required aggregate thickness, and increase pavement service life. The geogrid’s stiffness and optimized aperture geometry help resist shear and prevent rutting under concentrated crane loads.
• Lessons in resilient design: This case and others like it underscore the need for geotechnical solutions that go beyond standard specs (or the conventional approach). Incorporating geosynthetics like InterAx can significantly enhance performance, reduce life-cycle costs, and provide confidence in the long-term stability of the structure.

Contractors have utilized InterAx geogrid numerous times in similar high-demand intermodal environments, making it a trusted choice for load-critical design. In this specific project, InterAx geogrid is expected to extend the service life of the gantry strip by 80% over the typical approach. Whether you’re building for ports, rail yards or other heavy industrial applications, geogrid can make a measurable difference beneath the surface and over the long haul.

Watch this episdoe of Beneath the Build here.