Indonesia | VVIP Airport, Capital City of Nusantara (IKN)

Project Overview

Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PP) built VVIP Airport in Balikpapan to support the development of Nusantara or IKN, the future capital city of Indonesia. This airport will support connectivity at IKN and the mobility of important guests traveling to and from the New Capital City area via air transportation.

Menard Indonesia was in charged of executing ground improvement techniques, specifically Controlled Modulus Column (CMC) & Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD). These methods involved the installation of columns, mortar injection, and placement of PVD and Prefabricated Horizontal Drain (PHD) materials to prepare the soil for construction.

Soil Conditions

The results of the soil investigation showed that the ground conditions are totally different from one spot to another. The problematic soil is indicated by the presence of soft soil scattered around the project area with varying depths and thickness.

Therefore, the ground improvement method in the airport area was divided into several zones to obtain the optimum design and in accordance with the soil problems faced.

Menard Asia’s Ground Improvement Solution: Controlled Modulus Column (CMC) and Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD)

To address the complex and divers soil conditions at the VVIP Airport site, Menard Indonesia implemented a combination of Controlled Modulus Columns (CMC) and Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVD). The site was strategically divided into several zones, each requiring different ground improvement techniques based on the specific soil challenges identified during the engineering design stage. This strategy involved varying the depth and spacing of the CMC and PVD installations to suit the unique requirements of each area.

In total, Menard Indonesia installed 10,006 Controlled Modulus Columns (CMC), including 6,320 non-rebar and 3,686 with rebar reinforcement. These columns were placed at varying depths, ranging from 5 to 12 meters, covering a total length of 76,659.12 linear meters. This approach effectively increased the soil’s bearing capacity and minimized settlement risks.

Additionally, to accelerate soil consolidation, approximately 1.2 million linear meters of Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVD) were installed, with depths ranging from 4 to 13 meters. Prefabricated Horizontal Drains (PHD) were also utilized, with about 300,000 linear meters installed to further expedite the drainage and consolidation processes.

By employing these ground improvement techniques, Menard Indonesia has significantly enhanced the stability and load-bearing capacity of the soils at the VVIP Airport site which ensure a robust foundation for the airport’s infrastructure.