After the first construction phase of Istanbul Airport was successfully completed between 2014 and 2018, the airport is already processing around 90 million passengers per year. Two runways and landing strips, air traffic control tower and a passenger terminal were erected over the course of five years and on a surface of approximately 1.4 million m². When completed the all phases of Istanbul Airport, the passenger capacity is set to more than double to over 200 million. Six runways and landing strips on a total construction area of 76.5 million m² will help safely transport passengers to their destinations.

The client is a joint venture called iGA which was founded for the purpose of building the airport. The venture includes the companies Kalyon, Cengiz, Mapa and Limak, which operate in Turkey and across the globe in industries including construction, energy, tourism, mining and port and airport management. Istanbul Airport is fully equipped with fischer FireStop solutions for passive fire protection in order to prevent the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gases as an important safety precaution for people, material goods and infrastructure. Evaluations complying with European standards such as the European Technical Assessment (ETA) provide security. The installation firms commissioned with installing building services (MNG, EHA, Qubi, 3Gen, Redgon and many more) are using easy-to-use and highly effective products from fischer’s passive fire protection range for Istanbul Airport’s terminal, tower and other utility buildings, all of which are constructed with reinforced concrete using a skeleton construction.

All MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) applications such as cables, cable runs, conductor lines and ventilation systems as well as all types of pipes and conduits were sealed using fischer FireStop products. Soft fittings made of mineral wool featuring specialist ablative fire protection coatings and bulkheads made of fire-resistant mortar were primarily used. These systems were combined with intumescent elements (which swell up in heat) in order to be able to counteract flammable ducts.

The individual products used to seal duct openings include the FCPS panel system – a rock fibre core coated with the ablative sealant FPC. The FCPS has been designed to provide a physical barrier for up to 4 hours and temperature resistance for up to 2 hours. 1-component water-based acrylic emulsion was also used, including fischer’s FiAM, which provides a physical barrier for up to 5 hours as the product forms a highly insulating barrier for the fire seal when exposed to fire. The intumescent 1-K FiGM mass was also among the products used and is based on a graphite material that foams up under high pressure. The product expands up to 20 times its own volume and hardens into an elastic and flexible fire sealant in case of fire.

The fischer pipe wrap FiPW was additionally applied as a wrap to seal non-metallic pipes and channels. Made of a thermoplastic component, FiPW contains intumescent graphite in a synthetic compound. The wrap offers up to four hours of fire resistance. The two-component polyurethane foam FBS-EN was also utilised and is especially suitable for electrical duct openings that are hard to access. fischer FFSC was also used for sealant purposes. The specially formulated gypsum-based compound can be trowelled or poured when mixed with water. It can be used to fill cavities and gaps in walls and ceilings and offers up to four hours of integrity and insulation. FFSC was designed to set within 30 to 45 minutes depending on the surrounding temperature, and is safe to walk on within 24 hours.

“Because this is a large-scale project with enormous HVAC systems, most of the ducts through fire protection walls and ceilings are built on a considerable scale, particularly the pipes and ventilation systems”, emphasises Ant Güngör, Technical Marketing Manager for fischer FireStop at the Turkish subsidiary. “Innovative conductor lines and large metallic and flammable pipes presented an enormous challenge in finding a technical solution, but we were able to successfully plan and implement them”.

It was important for fischer to be able to supply tried and tested systems approved according to European standards in addition to custom-made products. But the fixings specialist also excelled with its provision of services. “Construction progressed quickly on this prestigious project, which is why a reliable partner was required for its fire protection”, Constantin Wiegert, Product and Market Manager at fischer FireStop, says describing the challenges. “We began supporting the project at an early stage and helped the client plan the FireStop solutions and provided on-site support”. The suggested FireStop solutions were approved by the project’s fire protection consultant, Etik Muhendislik.