Expansion of Helsinki-Vantaa Airport’s International Terminal

Completed in late 2009, the expansion of the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport’s International Terminal was a fascinating challenge that enabled us to demonstrate our best expertise. Besides passengers’ waiting areas at gates, the expansion included baggage handling and security checkpoint facilities. The total floor area is 43 908 m2 and the volume is 261,750 m3.

Modelling and co-operation were the keys to the project’s success. All of the building complex’s solutions and installation sequences were systematically reviewed with job site supervisors and contractors before beginning the work. The project’s co-ordination thus functioned seamlessly and everyone involved in the project knew exactly how, and in which order, the expansion would be implemented effectively and safely.

For the structural engineers, the project offered interesting subassemblies and details, as well as the repeated satisfactions of solving new engineering tasks.  Factors such as the  building technology’s spatial requirements, architectural appearance, machine shop fabrication, transport, and installation, were taken into account in the designing right from the start. In the foundation works, for example, bored piles were avoided by using massive replacement fills and the extensive excavation’s supports.

One of the most interesting and challenging structures was the "Delta Wing", that functions as the roof of the high and spacious public area. All of the “Delta’s” edges and corners are cantilevers, the longest exceeding 10 metres. This required measures that included demanding oscillation inspections because the project is situated in an open and extremely windy location.