Runway 10/28 at Zurich Airport is a crucial hub in European and international air traffic. Due to its central importance as a hub for numerous flight connections, the major overhaul had to be carried out exclusively at night. The construction companies Walo Bertschinger AG, Implenia Bau AG, Eberhard Bau AG, Marti AG, and Letech AG took on this challenging task. A total of 70 nights were spent replacing existing concrete deck sections with three layers of asphalt. The renovation took place between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM each night.
The tight time frame required precise planning, real-time monitoring of work steps, and comprehensive quality assurance. Errors during asphalt paving, such as inadequate compaction, would have prevented clearance the next morning and significantly disrupted the flight schedule. Quality deficiencies often arise on construction sites due to insufficient coordination among involved parties or incompatible systems. Q Point is an expert in digitizing construction processes and offers software solutions to support construction processes as well as temperature recording and compaction control during asphalt paving. These solutions seamlessly link work steps, minimize system breaks, and enhance the efficiency and quality of construction activities.
The construction companies use the software Q Site to plan and monitor the construction process on the construction site. All asphalt pavers and rollers were equipped with the quality assurance and documentation system Q Machines, which helps monitor compaction activity and surface temperatures during asphalt paving. Deviations from target values are visualized, allowing drivers to perform the optimal number of passes and pave and compact within the ideal temperature range. This ensures the necessary quality in a straightforward manner.
Asfatop AG and BAV Belag AG Volketswil producedand supplied the asphalt mix. The mixing plant personnel at these two plants were integrated into the digital process chain and associated information flow. Nightly mix orders could be digitally exchanged between the construction site and the mixing plant, including coordinating transportation and electronically transmitted delivery notes. The construction manager and foremen had real-time access to the status of deliveries, providing significant assurance.
Q Machines and Q Site in operation.
In a construction project of this scale and with time-critical requirements, transparency regarding work processes and process reliability is crucial. The networking of all involved parties and individuals, as well as the rapid distribution of decision-relevant process information, form the basis for this. Seamless interaction between the mixing plants and the construction site, digital communication, and secure process handling enabled scheduled execution in every night shift, ensuring that flight operations could always be cleared on time in the morning. Particularly during nighttime asphalt paving, visually inspecting asphalt layers proves challenging. Here, the comprehensive compaction control provided by Q Machines with ongoing visual representation of results offers clear advantages. The collected data can be used for post-inspections, continuous quality analyses, and documentation, as work results and paving progress are automatically and comprehensively documented. On a construction site of this magnitude, this enables quick reactions and improvements for the upcoming work shifts.
Utilization of the renovated runway 28.
The challenge of carrying out the complex construction work exclusively at night was supported by Q Point‘s innovative software. The digital process control and networking of all involved parties facilitated an efficient and high-quality execution of the construction work. Transparency regarding work processes and secure information flow significantly contributed to the project‘s success. The use of Q Machines for compaction control and paving documentation proved particularly helpful in ensuring the smooth progress of construction site operations. Overall, this project demonstrates how digital technologies can significantly and positively impact the asphalt industry, leading to increased efficiency, quality, and process reliability. The successful renovation of runway 10/28 at Zurich Airport thus stands as an outstanding example of the benefits of digital solutions in asphalt road construction.