Air Menzies International Warehouse

Construction within an active airport environment presented a series of technical and logistical challenges that required careful planning and site-specific solutions throughout the programme.

The site’s constrained shape precluded on-site casting beds for tilt panels, leading the project team to specify off-site precast panels to maintain the construction programme. Ground conditions typical of the low-lying airport precinct required a CMC (Controlled Modulus Columns) ground remediation methodology, with approximately 850 concrete grout columns injected to stabilise the subgrade in lieu of traditional deep piling. This approach is well suited to environments where ground spoil removal is not feasible.

Height restrictions on plant and equipment applied across the airport precinct, requiring concrete pumps and cranes to operate at minimum necessary heights to comply with aviation safety requirements. High wind channels on site affected concrete pours and roof sheet installation; to mitigate this, pours were scheduled from 3am when wind speeds were at their lowest, allowing the team to achieve the high-gloss burnished warehouse floor finish specified for the project.

Services infrastructure presented additional complexity, with water, sewage, power and communications required to cross an existing Energex easement. A 15-metre services bridge was constructed to provide the necessary clearance. Gravity-fed sewage was not achievable on site therefore a pump station with a 450-metre rising sewer main was installed to connect to the nearest manhole.

The project also included a feature Corten steel blade screen to the street frontage, extensive native landscaping with irrigation a 9-tonne BAC precinct entry sign requiring careful trade coordination and a 6-week lead time on specified lighting components. The warehouse was fully enclosed before internal concrete pours, providing the controlled environment required to achieve the burnished floor specification.