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News Articles on BlastWall PEARSON AIRPORT'S INNOVATIVE FENCE PROTECTION SYSTEM — Originally published in Doing Business with Public Works and Government Services Canada, Summer 2000. Sometimes, technology creates roadblocks that eventually lead to breakthrough solutions. This was the case in 1998, when the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) at Lester B. Pearson International Airport needed to extend one of its runways. Assad Ghubril, Project Manager, Architectural and Engineering Services (AES), assessed what this extension involved. What he found was that the extension took the runway too close to a piece of navigational equipment called a localizer. This equipment could not be moved and there was concern that the proximity of jet engine blasts could damage it. Consequently, an innovative jet blast fence was needed to protect the localizer.
The goal was to design, fabricate, and install a jet blast fence at the end of Runway 23 that would address all of the client's requirements and concerns. For the electronic signal from the localizer to pass without interference, the material selected for the fence had to be non-metallic and non-conductive to radio signals; it had to be able to withstand the jet blast wind pressure and elevated temperature, as well as prevailing wind gusts. It had to be of inert but strong material that would not be affected by corrosion or rot, and be resistant to ultraviolet rays for durability. And the structure had to be high enough to protect the localizer, the public, and the airport community. A contract was awarded to Blastwall Ltd. (FFI). PWGSC, in conjunction with GTAA and NAV Canada, developed a design/build document, and the blast fence was fabricated and installed by FFI. The result is a blast fence manufactured of fiberglass cloth and vinyl ester resin, meeting all the client's requirements. Thanks to Mr. Ghubril's expert input and guidance and the team efforts of all project participants, this state-of-the art design concept is being considered for use in other Canadian and American airports where jet blast is a concern. "This project is the first of its kind in North America and probably in the world, and was successfully completed within the time frame and budget," says Mounir Moughabghab, General Manager, Airside Development Project, GTAA. The extended runway is presently in operation and there is no indication that any extreme stress has been exerted on the blast fence. "Our success in this project is due in large part to the management at PWGSC," says Mr. Ghubril. "Their ongoing support, encouragement, vision, and belief in our abilities provided us with the confidence to pursue engineering challenges. And our accomplishments can be duplicated across the board if we follow the same protocol: prepare the groundwork, study the problem, devise a solution, and follow through until completion."
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