Serco
Teesside Airport
Fire Training Facility
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING | INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING | STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS | PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Simpson Coulson has provided specialist structural engineering services for Serco’s International Fire Training Facility at Teesside Airport, supporting the development and ongoing assessment of infrastructure used for aviation, industrial and offshore firefighting training.
The engineering commissions encompassed the design and detailing of a new 14.5m diameter elevated steel helideck, together with annual structural surveys, condition assessments and recommendations for the maintenance and repair of the existing multi-purpose fire training rig.
INTEGRAL SOLUTION
Operating within a demanding training environment, the structures are subjected to repeated extreme temperature changes, intensive simulated fire scenarios and associated structural stresses.
EXPERTISE
Simpson Coulson’s engineering work combined detailed steelwork design, structural analysis, practical construction considerations and systematic condition monitoring to support the safety, serviceability and long-term operational resilience of the training facilities.
14.5m
Helideck diameter
LPG
Fuel source for operations
2 Tonnes
Helicopter rig structure
8.87 Tonnes
Steel fabrication and installation
ENGINEERING CHALLENGE
The International Fire Training Centre presents a distinctive structural engineering challenge. Unlike conventional industrial structures, the training rigs are deliberately exposed to intense and repeated fire scenarios, resulting in significant thermal stresses and progressive deterioration of structural elements.
The existing three storey steel framed training rig required regular assessment of its columns, beams, bracing, connections, access systems and concrete elements to identify deterioration and prioritise remedial interventions.
Alongside these inspections, Serco required a new elevated helideck capable of accommodating realistic helicopter emergency training scenarios. The helideck design needed to balance structural strength, efficient steelwork quantities, equipment loading, safe access, drainage requirements and practical fabrication and installation.
SCOPE OF WORKS
Simpson Coulson provided specialist structural engineering services encompassing helideck design, structural analysis, technical inspections and ongoing asset management for Serco’s International Fire Training Centre.
Structural Design & Engineering
• Design of 14.5m-diameter elevated steel helideck
• Primary and secondary steelwork design
• Structural columns, beams and bracing
• 2-tonne helicopter loading assessment
• Steelwork optimisation and material quantification
• General arrangement and fabrication drawings
• Foundation and support loading assessments
Structural Surveys & Assessment
• Annual and intermediate condition surveys
• Inspection of three-storey fire training rig
• Steelwork, bracing and connection assessments
• Evaluation of thermal damage and deterioration
• Concrete and access structure inspections
• Structural defect classification and reporting
• Remedial strengthening recommendations
Civil & Construction Engineering
• Site surveys and ground level assessments
• Setting out of 17 structural column positions
• Foundation and ground-bearing considerations
• Staircase and access infrastructure design
• Helideck drainage and flooring specifications
• Steelwork fabrication and connection reviews
• Construction detailing and technical coordination
Engineering Consultancy
• Autodesk Robot structural modelling
• OPITO training standard considerations
• Fabrication inspection and technical reviews
• Construction-stage engineering support
• Structural appraisal and photographic reports
• Maintenance and repair prioritisation
• Long-term structural asset management advice
ENGINEERING DESIGN & DELIVERY
Simpson Coulson’s engineering approach combined detailed site assessments, advanced structural modelling and practical design development to deliver specialist solutions for Serco’s fire training infrastructure.
The helideck design progressed from initial surveys and structural calculations through to steelwork optimisation, general arrangement drawings and fabrication coordination. Alongside this, recurring structural inspections of the existing training rig provided detailed assessments of thermal deterioration, informing remedial recommendations and ongoing maintenance planning.
The following project imagery illustrates the technical design process, structural arrangements and engineering assessments undertaken throughout the commissions.
SPECIALIST ENGINEERING FOR DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS
Simpson Coulson’s work at Serco’s International Fire Training Centre demonstrates our expertise in delivering specialist structural engineering solutions for infrastructure operating under exceptional conditions.
From the detailed structural design and modelling of a purpose-built elevated helideck to recurring condition assessments of the existing fire training rig, the commissions combined advanced engineering analysis, practical design solutions and an understanding of the facility’s demanding operational requirements.
Through bespoke steelwork design, construction stage coordination and targeted remedial recommendations, we provided an integrated approach to both new infrastructure development and the ongoing maintenance of existing structural assets.
A demonstration of Simpson Coulson’s multidisciplinary expertise, delivering structural integrity, engineering innovation and long term asset resilience in challenging industrial environments.