Runway 15/33: a renovation project in the midst of ongoing operations.

More than 40,500 m² of runway to demolish in under 29 hours. Over 16,500 m³ of concrete to pour in less than two weeks. And all this while flight operations continued. A challenge, of course – but above all, a question of organisation.

Location

Dietikon, ZH - Headquarters

Service

Road Construction & Civil Engineering

In brief

Renovation of runway 15/33 at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, April–May 2026
A joint venture between WALO and TRBA (CH/BE), construction management by Artelia and Sogeti Ingenierie Airports
40,500 m² of material demolished in less than 29 hours – while flight operations continued on the east/west runway
Over 16,500 m³ of concrete poured, 13,000 m³ of which was completed in just 5 days
Up to 500 people on the construction site at once
Daily record: 3,685 m³ of concrete in a single day

TRBA truck beneath a conveyor system at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

Aerial view of the WALO facility with silos, conveyor systems and construction machinery at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

WALO facility with silos, conveyor systems and construction machinery at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

Three large white silos with conveyor systems against a blue sky.

Project and context

One window of opportunity – no room for error.

15 April to 16 May 2026: that was the window of time that EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg had available for renovating a major section of runway 15/33. 31 days and not a moment more.

Commissioned by EuroAirport and led on the construction site by Artelia and Sogeti Ingenierie Airports, the joint venture between WALO and TRBA (50:50, Switzerland and Belgium) took on responsibility for demolition, footings, concrete construction, surface markings and lighting. For the heavy demolition of the central section and the 3D milling work, the team worked closely with Eberhard and Reproad.

Work planned down to the square kilometre and coordinated with ongoing flight operations: these were the ground rules, even before the first excavator roared into action. “Working on airport infrastructure of this scale means operating in an environment where everything happens at maximum intensity,” says Ivan Richon, project manager at WALO. “It requires high technical standards, precise coordination between the different trades, meticulously planned construction phases and strict requirements concerning operation, safety and quality.”

Phase 1: demolition

40,500 m² in less than 29 hours.

The demolition work was the first real test – and the one where the time pressure was the most acute. More than 40,500 m² of runway needed to be demolished in less than 29 hours. This was done over two days from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., working in two shifts.

The centre section, covering an area of more than 33,000 m², was handled by two hydraulic excavators, each weighing 100 tonnes and equipped with a special shovel bucket for efficient loading of the dumper trucks. The removed material was transported away by a fleet of more than 25 dumper trucks (A30 to B50). Another 30 or so hydraulic excavators ranging from 14 to 86 tonnes worked away in parallel down each side of the centre section.

Once the main demolition work was complete, two milling machines were used to carry out 3D milling of the foundation layer, right down to precisely the required level. With up to 500 people working on the construction site at any given time, logistics and traffic management was just as complex as the demolition itself. Special noise barriers were installed to reduce the effects of noise on the surrounding villages.

Key figures for the demolition phase

Demolished area:	more than 40,500 m² in less than 29 hours
Operation:	2 days in a two-shift pattern (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
Dumper trucks:	more than 25 (A30–B50)
Hydraulic excavators:	around 30, including 4 weighing 86–100 t
Side sections:	7,500 m² surface area, more than 3,600 m³ excavated

Phase 2: concrete

16,500 m³ in under two weeks.

After the demolition came the precision work: pouring the concrete. Over 16,500 m³ of concrete was poured in total – this included more than 13,000 m³ for the centre section alone, all completed in just five working days.

Two slipform pavers worked in succession across a paving width of 12.10 metres. The first laid a 31 cm-thick double layer with automatic dowel insertion. The second laid the 7 cm-thick surface layer with automatic surface flattening. A third slipform paver treated the surface and applied the after-treatment product using an automatic sprayer system. Meanwhile, a fourth unit was on standby as a reserve.

The concrete supply was handled by two mixing plants installed directly on the construction site, with a capacity of up to 250 m³ per hour. A total of 3,685 m³ was poured in a single day – a daily output that ensured the project remained on schedule.

Key figures for the concrete phase

Total concrete volume:	more than 16,500 m³
Centre section:	1,368 m × 24.20 m, 38–40 cm thick, in 5 days
Concrete production:	up to 250 m³/h, two mixing plants directly on the construction site
Daily record:	3,685 m³ in a single day
Cement:	around 6,300 t, approx. 210 delivery vehicles

Coordination and partnership

Not a single centimetre completed without discussion.

An airport doesn’t stop operating just because there’s construction work happening on its runway. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg kept its daily programme of flights on the second runway a few hundred metres away. Every machine movement, delivery and shift handover had to be coordinated with the airport operators.

And the cooperation of the WALO–TRBA joint venture was much more than just a mere formality. It required daily coordination between two corporate cultures, two sets of national standards and a shared schedule. “We had a narrow time frame and clear requirements to follow. WALO and TRBA both kept up their end of the bargain and airport operations continued uninterrupted.” Tobias Markert, CEO EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg

WALO would like to thank EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg for its trust and the construction management team of Artelia and Sogeti Ingenierie Airports for heading up this exceptional undertaking. It would also like to thank its partners in the joint venture, TRBA, as well as Eberhard and Reproad for the excellent partnership on and off the runway.

WALO employees with construction plans on the construction site at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

Several WALO employees work among traffic cones and reinforcement on the construction site at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

Two WALO employees install reinforcement on the construction site at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

WALO employees in front of a tracked excavator on the construction site at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse.

Background and context

An airport renovation is no ordinary project.

Complex runway projects carried out whilst the airport remains operational are anything but standard. They require planning certainty, specialised machinery, experienced managers – and the ability to remain precise under pressure. The successfully completed EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg project sets a clear benchmark in this respect: international operations, a tri-national location, ongoing airport operations and a very tight time frame for implementation.

Couverture médiatique du projet:

SRF

RTS

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