BASIS FOR DESIGN

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

1.0 These specifications form guidelines for the structural design of the aluminium
helideck proposed for the project. The helicopter deck integrates a passive fireretarding system into its surface grating to provide enhanced safety and is
manufactured under the trade name- ASTECH SAFETY HELIDECK.
1.1 These specifications will address the following areas:
a.) Functional Specifications
b.) Interface with Steel Truss-work below Helideck
c.) Size and Arrangement of Helideck
d.) Material Properties of Helideck
e.) Lighting,
f.) Design Loads
g.) Drainage for Helideck
h.) Reaction Forces/Helideck Loads
i.) Helideck Pancake Weights.

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

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:
:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

1.2 The helideck will be designed for a Sikorsky S61N Helicopter and to meet the
following codes:

U.K. HSE (DeN), 1990, 4th Edition

U.K. Civil Aviation Authority CAP 437
US RP 2L, Designing and Planning Offshore Heliports
IMO Modu Code
DNV Ship Rules/Other Classification Society Rules Helideck
BS 8118 The Structural Use of Aluminium, 1988
Alcan Design Guide Aluminium in Offshore Structures, Vols. 1-3

Functional Specification
2.0 Background
The most critical moments of helicopter operation are during landings and take-offs.
An accident at either stage can mean hundreds of gallons of jet-fuel spilling from
ruptured fuel tanks in the belly of the aircraft.
A crash and burn scenario is always a frightening possibility the intense, fuel fed
fire will spread on the helideck, making passenger rescue extremely hazardous. Vital
time is lost in combating the helideck fire when all attention should be delivered to
the helicopter crew and passengers instead.
The Astech Safety Helideck was developed to reduce these risks and to integrate a
passive, enhanced safety system into the decking of the helideck. The system requires
no maintenance, power assist, foam or other fire-extinguishing materials for its
operation.

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

:
:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

2.1 Safety Features

The Astech helideck incorporates a patented, passive fire-retarding system which
works by allowing burning fuel to pass through densely-packed layers of Expamet
expanded aluminium mesh. The mesh is packed to a proprietary compression in batt
form inside a hollow landing grating which runs between the helideck structural main
beams.
In case of a deck surface fire, burning fuel drains through holes in the deck surface
into the Expamet batts. The burning fuel is starved of oxygen and the aluminium
mesh causes rapid heat dissipation. The fire is retarded and starts to extinguish
immediately. Spilt fuel is quickly and safely drained away unburned inside the
hollow decking into perimeter drains and header pipes. Any remaining vapor burnoff on the helideck surface can be extinguished in seconds with a minimal water
spray.
The Astech Helideck is therefore capable of achieving the following:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

Commence retardation of helideck fire within ten seconds of ignition

Collect and extinguish burning Jet A1 fuel.
Channel the unburnt and extinguished fuel safely away from the burning site.
Allow the use of water spray as a vapour extinguishing medium
Control burning within initial fuel spill area only to facilitate escape of survivors.
Attenuate fire within 3 minutes from ignition (in a test condition).

Live fire tests of the Astech Helideck were conducted in Singapore in 1989 and in
the United Kingdom in 1998 before representatives of the UK Civil Aviation
Authority, Det Norske Veritas, Shell Brunei, Shell Sarawak, Petronas, ESSO,
Sikorsky Helicopters, Bell Helicopters and others. Documentation is available on
request.

Interface with Steel Beams below Helideck Pancake

3.0

The aluminium helideck shall be secured to the steel supports by the use of
appropriate transition joints which are pre-installed to the aluminium main
beams. Transition joints are of carbon steel and only steel-to-steel welding will
be required at the time of helideck erection. The thickness of the transition plates

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

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:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

shall be increased to 36 mm in order to avoid warping during welding. The insulation

material will be Neoprene/Teflon, where required.

Size and Arrangement of Helideck

4.0

The helicopter deck is an octagon of diameter 22.3m

4.1

The helideck is supported on an the steel truss arrangement as shown in the

general arrangement drawings

4.2

The deck consists of three layers of structural members. The lower

members are the aluminium I-section girders, which will be about 470mm in
height. Deck beams run across these girders at approximately 1200mm centers.
These beams are approximately 200mm in height and have the drainage trays
bolted to them. Drainage trays run, subsurface, through the entire helideck landing
area. The Explosafe fire-retarding system is contained in the drainage trays.

4.3

The deck-landing surface sits on the aluminium deck beams and comprises
approximately 90mm high aluminium punched gratings sitting on the deck beams.
These are secured to the deck beams via special extruded clamps and stainless
steel fasteners. The grating is designed to efficiently absorb the high local loads
of the crash helicopter. The punching of the holes on the surface of the grating is
to allow fluids to drain into the drainage trays below and for the proper
functioning of the safety system.

4.4.

A perimeter drainage system will be provided together with adequate drain

headers to carry the helideck spill flow and rainfall.

4.4

Necessary lifting points, lifting procedure and the required spreader bar design
will be provided for the lift-out of the helideck.

4.5

Fully recessed and removable helicopter tie-downs will be provided.

Materials Properties/Workmanship
5.0

The helideck grating extrusions are AA6005AT6/equal aluminium sections that

have a minimum yield point of 220 N/mm.

BASIS FOR DESIGN

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

:
:
:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

5.1

The helideck deck and main beams are AA6082T6/equal aluminium extrusions
that have a minimum yield point of 260N/mm.

5.1

The helideck is designed such that no structural welding is required and bolted
connections between members are used. Welding is confined to non-structural
secondary members and drainage trays.

5.2

The following will be included as deliverables in the AFC package:a.)

Specifications of all materials including Explosafe batts.

b.)

Mill Certification whenever materials are delivered.

c.)

Workmanship Specification for

Approval Testing for Welding Procedures

Approval Testing of Welders
Assembly Fabrication and NDT of Aluminium Structures
NDT Personnel Qualifications
NDT of Welds
Painting
Lighting System

d.)

QA/QC Plan for design fabrication and assembly will be submitted before
the start of detailed design.

e.)

Inspection and Maintenance Philosophy, Maintenance Procedures and

Spare Parts Policy.

BASIS FOR DESIGN

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

:
:
:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

Design Loads
6.0

As a QA/QC deliverable we shall submit a checklist showing the following

against the codes/standards satisfied:

Loading
Allowable Stresses
Defection
Any other related parameter

6.1

The design loads to be considered are:

a.)

Impact factor of 3.0 times maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of the

Sikorsky 61N helicopter for the load bearing sub-structure and single load
of 75% of total helicopter weight on any point on the deck (UK
DeN/CAP437).

b.)

Structural Response factor 1.3 main support structure (UK. DeN/CAP

437)

c.)

A 0.5 kN/m live load on the surface of the deck (U.K. DeN/CAP 437)

d.)

Lateral Loads of 0.5 times MTOW.

e.)

Helideck self-weight.

f.)

Wind Loading (per U.K. DeN).

g.)

Punching Shear of undercarriage wheel contact area per subject helicopter.

6.2

A lifting analysis for the installation of the helideck onto the steel support will be
performed to prove the sufficiency of the design. This will be carried out at the
time of detailed engineering and cover the designed lifting points of the helideck.

6.3

The structural analysis method to be employed for the verification of the global
strength of the helideck will be the finite element technique. Where necessary

the finite element technique will also be used in local strength verification.

BASIS FOR DESIGN

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

:
:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

The design basis for variation Helideck components will be as per the table:

6.4

Design basis for

As per

a.)

Deflection &
Lifting Analysis

BS 8118

b.)

Deck Edge Safety Net

U.K. DeN/UK CAP

c.)

Helideck Markings

Owner/UK CAP

d.)

Tie-Downs

U.K. DeN/UK CAP

e.)

Deck Edge Lighting

U.K. DeN/UK CAP

The helideck will be checked for thermal expansion and contraction with respect
to its non-aluminium interfaces . Suitable expansion joints will be provided where
required.

Drainage for Helideck

7.0

Drainage of fluids from the helideck surface will be via the drainage trays which
run the entire surface of the deck. These extrusions lead to the perimeter drainage
system where the headers are located.

7.1

The intercostal drainage system will have a depth of about 150 mm. The
perimeter drainage system will have a depth of about 200 mm. Gutter will be
dimensioned to satisfy the maximum continuous rainfall of 100 mm/hr.

7.2

The drainage system will be over designed at least 1.5 times to drain the
combined flow of full tank of fuel and maximum rainfall.

BASIS FOR DESIGN

CLIENT
REF.
PROJECT
SUBJECT

7.3

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:

:
: ASTECH SAFETY ALUMINIUM HELIDECK

If required by the Client, the gutter will be covered for increased safety using
removable aluminium covers.

Reaction Forces/Helideck Loads:

8.0

There are 14 crossing (support) points between the aluminium helideck structure
and the steel supports.
Self-weight per point = 2.36MT
Crash-load of Sikorsky 61N = 3 x 10t = 30 M Tonnes
Maximum reaction force at each support point= 32.36 M Tonnes at
any one support point.

Helideck Pancake Weight

9.0

The estimated weight of the helideck pancake including sub-structure trusses and
two platforms with access stairways is 33 M Tonnes.

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