Patent ID: 6946181

Claim:
An airport runway/taxiway surrounding surface arrangement comprising a compacted soil surface substantially free from organic matters in order to restrict sources of nutriment for birds, a pile fabric placed over said compacted soil surface, said pile fabric including a plurality of pile elements resembling grass and extending from a backing mat to a predetermined height thereabove, a permeable ballast material for stabilizing said pile fabric in place, said permeable ballast material being provided on said backing mat and having a thickness less that said predetermined height, and a drainage system for directing water from said pile fabric to at least one drain, whereby an airfield is produced having substantially no organic nutrient, wherein said drainage system includes a water drainage enabling layer, and a water barrier underlying said water drainage enabling layer for preventing water from percolating downwardly through the soil surface underneath said pile fabric, wherein said water barrier forms part of said backing mat, and wherein said water drainage enabling layer is provided in said pile fabric on said backing mat, wherein said water drainage enabling layer includes fibers dispersed among said pile elements on said backing mat.