Terminal 3 Intergrated Baggage Heathrow Airport

Located between Control Post 8 and the Terminal 3 Flight Connections Centre, the £250 million T3IB project consolidated the entire Terminal 3 Baggage Hall into a single, purpose-built facility. The scheme also incorporated provision for future expansion of security search areas and retail space.

Byrne Bros was awarded the £2.2 million composite slab and Apron Pavement Quality (PQ) concrete package, comprising:

• Placement of 26,000 m² of reinforced concrete for composite slabs over a 21-week programme.

• Construction of the Apron PQ slabs to meet the stringent BAA concrete specification, delivered in a series of small bays using a “hit-and-miss” sequence to allow for curing and operational constraints.

Project Phasing

Phase 1 involved construction of the Link Bridge spanning directly over the Terminal 3 Flight Connections Centre, with a live bus route operating beneath. The stepped bridge structure supports the conveyor belts transferring baggage into the main facility.

Phase 2 was the construction of the main building, split over three structural levels (10, 20, and 30). With tight interfaces between multiple contractors, Byrne Bros maximised pour sizes to reduce the total number of pours, minimising disruption and improving programme efficiency.

Logistical Challenges

Situated in the heart of Heathrow Airport, the site presented significant logistical challenges. Airport operations could not be disrupted, meaning deliveries and concrete pours were often restricted to night working between 22:30 and 04:00.

Despite these constraints, Byrne Bros successfully delivered both the composite slab and PQ concrete works to the required specifications and programme, supporting the transformation of Terminal 3’s baggage handling into a state-of-the-art, future-ready facility.

• Location: Heathrow, London
• Architect: Grimshaw
• Main Contractor: Balfour Beatty
• Structural Engineer: Mott MacDonald