Old Oak Common Station

Using wind tunnel analysis to avoid unnecessary costs on a major public infrastructure project

Old Oak Common Station in west London is a £1-billion facility designed to serve as a hub on Britain’s new high-speed rail line, HS2. RWDI was engaged to ensure that the structure – with its large scale, long-span roof, and unusual shape – would efficiently meet all relevant wind loading requirements. Seeking to also maximize value for taxpayers, the design team also hoped RWDI’s analysis could help to identify opportunities to enhance structural efficiency. The goal was to meet rigorous safety and performance standards while reducing the station’s requirements for structural steel. The project team attributed about a third of the total cost savings of £7 million to RWDI’s analysis.