Walls Growing at the Construction Site
Piers H and J

Comfortable, safe boarding

The jet bridges that passengers will use to get between the piers and planes at Terminal 3 can be extended to lengths of up to 41 meters and are glazed all the way around to provide a fantastic view of the apron or runway. They are being delivered at night.

Passengers use jet bridges to walk between the pier and plane.

Round joint sections like those of an articulated bus make it possible to flexibly dock the jet bridge onto the plane.

Some of the boarding structures along Piers H and J are equipped with two jet bridges.

The jet bridges can be extended to a maximum length of 41 meters.

Sufficient natural light enters the jet bridge via the glazed façade.

Up Go the Walls

The carcasses of these two piers are special in at least one regard: unlike in ordinary concrete housing construction, they aren’t built from the bottom up in a single cast. Instead, multiple substructures huddling close together rise skyward. The individual units look virtually the same. In the case of Pier H, one might describe them as “identical septuplets”. As soon as all of them have been built and the concrete has cured, they will be joined to create a single continuous pier carcass extending seamlessly over a length of 400 meters when complete. Although this approach is initially more complicated, it simplifies the later stages of construction. Among other things, there’s no need to leave gaps in case materials expand at warmer temperatures. The building systems can therefore be installed practically in one go.

Shell construction of the Pier J bridge structures was completed at the end of 2021, and the expansion is in full swing.

Mobile jet bridges are connected to Pier J’s 14 aircraft docking points.

All of Pier H’s HVAC systems are installed on its roof.

The service ducts for Pier J have been excavated and work to make the carcass of the longer pier can now start.

First the below-ground concrete structures are created.

Pier H sets the pace, which Pier J follows: it’s already growing taller.

The supports are in place, and work on the ceiling of the ground floor of Pier J can now begin.

The huge Y-shaped supports along Pier J are eye-catchers. They are precast elsewhere and taken to the construction site on heavy-duty trucks.

One by one, the three levels of Pier J are added.

All three levels of Pier J are already recognizable, and the bridge structures are also taking shape.

The shell of Pier J is completed. Installation of the glass facade can begin.

Some of the technical systems will later be accommodated in steel structures on the roof of Pier J.

The interior of Pier J is also taking shape. Appropriate structures are being added for retail outlets and food services.

A huge underfloor heating system will ensure pleasant temperatures in Terminal 3, including Pier H. A total of about 110,000 meters of heating lines have been installed there.

The shell of Pier H was completed and passed inspection in October 2024. Work on its interior is now ongoing.

Passengers will later enjoy an especially good view of the runways from the gates.

Many Parts Make a Whole

Whereas seven substructures are needed to build Pier H, Pier J comprises eight. (On the construction of Piers H and J) Work is proceeding concurrently on all of them, which requires precise coordination and organization. Each successive structure benefits from experience gained on the previous ones, and the speed of work is picking up as a result. Initially they are separated by one-meter gaps, which will be filled in after the concrete cures to create a single continuous pier.

Put to the Test

Building the carcasses of the individual substructures is hard work since it involves a lot of steel. They start below the ground and grow upward from there. The walls and supports in the basement of Pier H were finished in late summer of 2019. But before the next-higher level can be added, first the cellar’s ceiling is reinforced with steel bars, called “rebars” in the construction trade. These lend strength to the concrete and greatly increase its loadbearing ability. Going higher, both prefabricated and cast-in-place concrete sections are used. Pier H grows taller, with Pier J following close behind.

The facade of Pier H is taking on its final form.

Pier H will eventually be 400 meters long, but first the preparatory work has to be finished.

Some 50 cranes towering up to 85 meters high are involved in the construction work.

Piece by piece, the concrete structures grow out of the ground.

Gigantic steel frames are mounted on the roof of Pier H; later they will contain part of the technical systems.

Parts of the passenger bridges are already standing next to the pier. Travelers will later use them to board aircraft.

In this view from the roof of the apron control tower, we can see the completed telescopic tunnels and rotunda of a mobile jet bridge.

The shell of the bridge structures is as good as complete. Now the fixed walkways can be installed.

The jet bridges extending from the pier to the aircraft parking positions were already glazed In January 2022, but their floor coverings had not yet been installed.

In December 2024, work on the rotundas and telescopic tunnels of the jet bridges of Pier H had already been finished.

We Build Bridges

Along the two piers, a total of 24 head structures are also taking shape. Later planes will dock here, and travelers will use connected jet bridges to conveniently board them: a perfect start to a perfect trip!

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Pier G

Walls Growing at the Construction Site
Piers H and J

Comfortable, safe boarding

Up Go the Walls

Many Parts Make a Whole

Put to the Test

We Build Bridges

Related Topics : Walls Growing at the Construction Site

Pier G

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