London Heathrow Airport

Client: BAA
Type of works: in May 2003, CEMEX signed a 5 year agreement worth over £4 million with BAA to supply 130,000 tonnes of fly ash for making concrete for aircraft-parking areas and floor slabs for BAA’s Terminal 5 at Heathrow.

Fly ash was chosen for the Terminal 5 project because it provides benefits both to the plastic and hardening properties of the concrete. BAA has found that fly ash consistently gives the extra durability required in concrete pavements, whilst providing the good cohesion required for its placing techniques.

The materials and expertise needed for constructions such as airport terminal buildings and aircraft standing areas are very specific. The combination of CEMEX’s technical expertise along with its proven track record in projects of this size made it an ideal choice.

CEMEX has been able to supply by rail, using specially manufactured ISO-Veyor units. In conjunction with inBulk Technologies, CEMEX became the first company to develop and use an innovative, intermodal, environmentally-friendly bulk transport system. This system can be used on rail or sea, in addition to road. The containers can be transferred between road-going flat-bed trucks, rail-based rolling stock and a variety of ships, enabling the optimum solution to be arranged for each journey.