Helsinki Airport is benefiting from a new runway surface

Finland’s main international airport, serving the capital Helsinki, is now benefiting from a runway resurfacing project. The rehabilitation work has been needed for one of the airport’s three runways due to a number of age-related defects. Helsinki Airport processes some 17 million passengers/year and due to a combination of the often severe winter weather and the heavy aircraft traffic, the runway condition was not of the standard required. Resurfacing work was scheduled by FINAVIA, with a budget of some
February 23, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Finnish contractor Lemminkäinen used three W 220 large Wirtgen milling machines for the job
Finland’s main international airport, serving the capital Helsinki, is now benefiting from a runway resurfacing project. The rehabilitation work has been needed for one of the airport’s three runways due to a number of age-related defects. Helsinki Airport processes some 17 million passengers/year and due to a combination of the often severe winter weather and the heavy aircraft traffic, the runway condition was not of the standard required.

Resurfacing work was scheduled by 6704 FINAVIA, with a budget of some €11 million, while the total area to be rehabilitated 121,000m². The runway rebuild work was planned in stages, so as to mill off 250mm of asphalt from the runway surface, but with this work being handled in three passes. This method was required in order to separate the reclaimed material into different grades. The first stage of the planning job was to remove a 100mm layer, with a second stage milling away a 50mm asphalt layer, followed by the third phase to remove the final 100mm thickness.

The work was carried out by the Finnish contractor 3064 Lemminkäinen, which has a fleet of 2395 Wirtgen milling machines. The firm used three W 220 large milling machines for the job, allowing it to remove the layers within the tight timeframe required.
Asphalt milling, paving & compaction

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Diamond in the Pearl: China’s Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge complex
    March 8, 2018
    People in the Pearl River Delta are celebrating the Chinese New Year with the imminent opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. David Arminas reviews progress. China’s Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, is celebrated with the usual enthusiasm and spectacular fireworks. But celebrations will be particularly joyous for many people in the southern Pearl River Delta. The soon-to-be-open Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will slash travel time between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Zhuh
    Read More
  • Marini mobile asphalt plant XPRESS 2500 P at Reykjavik Airport
    May 17, 2017
    Iceland, being a volcanic island and still active, must import aggregates and bitumen for road construction. The island’s 104,000km² and its 333,000 inhabitants are susceptible to daily seismic activity of some kind. However, airline passengers, either visiting the country as tourist or in transit, are increasing by around 20% per year so good airport services are essential. As such, Colas is resurfacing the main runway and constructing a third strip and contracting other road works. The highway network i
    Read More
  • Efficient earthmoving builds new road links
    February 7, 2012
    Efficient earthmoving is allowing productive road construction in the Egyptian desert, Mike Woof reports. Despite ferocious desert temperatures, efficient earthmoving operations will help build new road links in Southern Egypt. Close to the Egyptian city of Assuit, the contractor Orascom is working on three key desert highway projects that will provide vital transport connections for the country's growing economy.
    Read More
  • Cold recycling with foamed bitumen – an innovative technique
    November 7, 2017
    The pressure to conserve materials in road construction means that resource-saving technologies are more in demand than ever before. Wirtgen’s cold recycling process is already proven and has the potential to meet future demand. Roads subjected to continuous and heavy traffic often show signs of damage that extend down to the road base. To eliminate this damage, the entire road needs structural rehabilitation. Full reuse of the milled material as well as its cost-effective treatment make cold recycling with
    Read More

Highlighted Content