The airport has won several awards but could now be at risk of going under.
A busy airport in Asia which is build on an artificial island is reportedly sinking into the sea. Kansai International Airport (KIX), one of the busiest on the continent, opened in 1994 after 20 years of planning and massive seven years of building work. The world’s first ocean airport in Osaka Bay, Japan, expands over an area of 1,260 acres on one island and 1,347 acres on a second.
Despite being an engineering triumph, huge issues have been identified in recent years. According to reports, the airport is sinking into the soft clay foundation that it was built on and has been since it was constructed two decades ago.
Since opening it has subsided by around 12.5 feet, and a second island during an expansion project has sunk by a shocking 57 feet. The sinking of the airport has raised alarms for its stability, especially as the subsidence has accelerated rapidly in recent years.
The extreme weather conditions in the country and the rising sea levels also pose a significant threat to the airport. In 2018 western Japan was struck by Typhoon Jebi, reports the Express.
The typhoon caused extensive damage to the airport, including flooding of the main terminal and the suspension of airport operations for multiple days. The extreme event highlighted the urgent need to work on the airport’s foundation and infrastructure.
Engineers have focused on a series of stabilisation measures designed to slow the sinking and reinforce the airport’s structure.
The team has employed advanced technology and innovative construction techniques to monitor the subsidence at various points across the airport, including high-precision monitoring systems that provide real-time data on the rate of sinking and condition of the airport’s foundations, reports Travel and Tour World.
Strategies to reinforce the island’s foundation are also in place, such as injecting materials into the ground to strengthen the soft clay base and prevent further sinking.
While KIX’s future may be threatened, it remains one of Asia’s top airports. In 2020, Skytrax, an airline and airport review website, ranked Kansai the tenth-best airport in the world. It has also received awards for Best Airport Staff in Asia, World’s Best Airport Staff, and World’s Best Airport for Baggage Delivery.
