There are only three known strongfloors in the world and the first in Europe has been constructed in Bristol with over 3500 m3 of C40/50 CEMEX concrete containing an increased percentage of ground-granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS).

The strongfloor is a key part of the new Airbus Wing Integration Centre at Flitton, Bristol.

The new state-of-the-art 10,000 sq metre centre will become the worldwide hub for researching, designing, analysing and testing aircraft wings, to develop the wings of tomorrow. This giant testing station will rigorously test aeroplane wings for a cycle of around 2 years, replicating a shelf life of around 25 years.

The main contractor for the project is Galliford Try with local sub-contractor and groundworker, Tercon providing the expertise for the strongfloor.

In addition to the being first strongfloor in Europe, the laying of the floor slab involved one of the largest continuous pours in the UK for 2017 with 1,450 m3 being laid over 24 hours. Concrete was supplied by three local CEMEX plants in Bristol, Henbury and Wickwar.

The floor involved 13 weeks of work to construct the complex steel and rebars that were installed by Tercon, prior to the pour.

The £40 million project is jointly funded by Airbus and the UK Government and it is planned that the Airbus Wing Integration Centre will be operational at the end of 2018.