1. What types of steel structures can be used in airports and public facilities?
Frame structure (terminal, hangar)
The frame structure is like a huge three-dimensional spider web woven with countless steel rods. The mature design can evenly distribute the weight of the entire roof to each rod. The advantage of this structure is that it can easily span hundreds of meters without any column support. At present, the largest hangar in Asia is made of frame structures, with a column-free span of 404 meters, which can accommodate 12 aircraft, including 2 Airbus A380 and 3 Boeing 777, for parking and maintenance. After the modular prefabricated components are processed in the factory, they are quickly assembled on site with bolts, which can shorten the construction period by 30%. It is particularly suitable for the rapid construction needs of large-scale public buildings such as airports.
Cost: The unit cost of the frame structure is usually 300-500 USD/㎡. With its advantages of good spatial force performance, light weight, and high rigidity, it has been widely used in large-scale terminal buildings, exhibition centers, and industrial plants. Especially in large-span space construction projects, its economic and structural performance advantages are more significant.
Large-span space truss (terminal building, Business aircraft apron)
Steel Structure Multi-storey Comprehensive Building (Stereo Garage, Commercial Center, Business Office Building)
Core Advantage: BIM-based full-process design of the three-dimensional transportation hub, factory prefabricated modular units assembled quickly on-site, the construction cycle of the main structure below 6 floors takes only 60 days. Vertical space utilization rate is increased by 300%, and check-in halls, waiting bridges, commercial complexes, and underground transportation connections (e.g., subway and high-speed railway interchange) can be integrated. Adopting an anti-continuous collapse design, the seismic grade reaches 8 or above, supporting an intelligent simulation system, realizing the whole process of digital operation.
Cost: The cost per square is about 280-380 USD/㎡, suitable for air-high-speed rail intermodal transportation hubs.
Standardized portal frame (small terminal)
Core advantages: prefabricated production using American standard A36 steel or equivalent national standard components to realize the “factory manufacturing + on-site assembly” mode. The standard span design (20×30 meters, 30×40 meters, 30×50 meters) forms a column-free waiting space, and the steel structure processing accuracy reaches ±2mm, saving 30% of steel and reducing 40% of the initial construction cost. The modular structure supports the extension of the corridor or the expansion of the boarding bridge in a later stage, and the check-in area, security inspection channel, and commercial area can be flexibly divided inside. The earthquake resistance is 8 levels, and the wind resistance level is 70 meters/second, meeting the safety standards of hub airports. (Compared with traditional terminal buildings)
Cost: (Traditional cost) The unit cost is about 150-220 USD/㎡, which is suitable for the construction of small and medium-sized airports and satellite halls.
2. Why is it important for steel terminals to be built with steel structures?
High strength and spatial flexibility
- Adopt Q355B S355JR A572 SM490A grade high-strength steel and space frame structure, with a maximum single span of 180 meters, and the space utilization rate is increased by 30% compared with concrete buildings.
- The deadweight is reduced by 40%, and the foundation treatment cost is reduced by 50%, which is suitable for the construction of airports with soft soil foundations.
Fast construction and flexible expansion
- The main structure of the 6,000-square-meter terminal was completed in 45 days, 75 days shorter than the traditional process.
- Modular interface design supports “operation and expansion”, and the new boarding bridge area can be connected within 3 months.
Green sustainable system
- Steel is 100% recyclable, reduces construction waste by 90%, and has 57% lower carbon emissions than concrete.
- The standard photovoltaic integrated roof (BIPV system) can generate 30% of the terminal’s electricity annually.
- The exterior wall is made of 150mm rock wool sandwich panels with a sound insulation of 65dB, which meets the airport noise control standards.
Intelligent safety system
- Designed to withstand earthquake level 8 and wind level 12, passed GB50011-2010 earthquake resistance test.
- The whole process fire monitoring system has a fire resistance limit of 3 hours, which meets the Civil Aviation Administration’s “Regulations on Fire Safety Management of Transport Airports.”
- Integrate IoT modules such as face recognition and baggage tracking to increase traffic efficiency by 40%
3. What are the application scenarios of steel structure terminals?
| Aviation hub scene | Technology Adaptation Solution | Performance Data | Cost Information |
| International Hub Main Terminal (Core Passenger Flow Hub) | 180m long span space truss + steel structure multi-storey building | It can be equipped with 50+ check-in counters, handling more than 30 million passengers per year, meeting the needs of large hub operations. | Cost per unit area: about $900-1050 USD/㎡ |
| Low-cost airline terminal (economical operation scenario) | Standardized portal steel frame + flexible partition modules (prefabrication rate reaches 85%, supporting modular expansion) | Compared with traditional terminal construction plans, the construction cost is reduced by 35%, and the rapid transformation can be completed in 15 days, reducing investment pressure and time costs. | The unit cost is within $389USD/㎡. |
| Cargo Terminal (Professional Logistics Hub) | Extra heavy-duty H-shaped steel truss structure | Ground load ≥10kN/㎡, suitable for loading and unloading of wide-body cargo aircraft such as Boeing 747, ensuring efficient cargo turnover, and daily cargo handling capacity exceeds 5,000 tons. | The cost per unit area is about $600USD/㎡. |
| General aviation terminal (emergency/feeder service scenario) | Light steel structure + quick disassembly and assembly system | 45-day full-process delivery, flexible adaptation to temporary take-off and landing points, and other diversified needs | The cost of a single module is about $80,000 |
4. Steel structure terminal vs. traditional concrete terminal
| Core Performance | Steel structure scheme | Traditional concrete solution |
| Maximum single span | The advanced structural systems such as space trusses and space frames, are used to achieve a 180-meter ultra-large span column-free space, which is suitable for large space demand scenarios such as airport terminals and exhibition centers. | Due to the limitation of material mechanical properties, dense columns ( ≤30 meters ) need to be set in a single span, which has poor spatial continuity and affects the flexibility of use. |
| Construction period (20,000㎡) | Based on the in-depth design of BIM technology, the factory prefabrication rate is ≥95%, and the on-site assembly construction is completed within 90 days, which significantly shortens the construction period. | It requires on-site formwork, steel bar tying, and concrete pouring. The process is complicated and requires maintenance time. It takes 240 days to complete the main construction of a 20,000㎡ building, which is 2.7 times longer than that of a steel structure. |
| Environmental requirements | Recyclable steel is used, with 1.5tCO₂/㎡ in production and construction stages, a 53% reduction compared to concrete solutions, helping to achieve green building goals. | Cement production and construction processes consume a lot of energy, with carbon emissions per unit area of 3.2tCO₂/㎡ , which places a heavy burden on the environment. |
| Retrofit flexibility | Modular design supports rapid disassembly and reassembly. When functions are changed, only local components need to be adjusted, reducing the transformation cost by more than 60%. | Structural demolition easily generates construction waste, and functional transformation requires the destruction of the original structure, which has high transformation costs and construction risks. |
| Life cycle cost | The quality of prefabricated components is controllable, which reduces maintenance. The steel has high recycling value, and the overall cost is 15%-20% lower than that of concrete solutions. | The costs of later structural maintenance, waterproofing treatment, etc., account for more than 30, and the long-term use cost increases significantly. |
| Earthquake resistance | The steel has excellent ductility, combined with energy-absorbing support and other earthquake-resistant technologies, it meets the earthquake-resistant fortification requirements of greater than level 8 (GB50011) to ensure the safety of the building. | Concrete structures have poor ductility and limited seismic performance. The design seismic level is less than 7. Additional reinforcement measures are required in high-intensity areas. |
| Recycling rate | The steel recycling rate exceeds 90%, which is in line with the development trend of green buildings.s | Concrete is difficult to recycle |
V. Main components and material standards
Load-bearing system
- Steel column: Q355B S355JR A572 SM490A grade high-strength steel, compressive strength 345MPa, column base uses M36 anchor bolts
- Steel truss: Maximum span 180 meters, using box section (1200×800×20×30mm).
- Wind-resistant column: special design wind load bearing capacity of 2.0kN/㎡, suitable for coastal strong wind areas.
Roof system
- Purlin: Z-shaped cold-bent thin-walled steel (Z220×75×20×3.0mm), galvanized 275g/㎡, anti-corrosion life of 30 years
- Roof panel: double-layer corrugated steel sheet + 200mm glass wool insulation layer
- Smart skylight: equipped with photovoltaic integrated glass (60% light transmittance, 30% reduction in electricity consumption)
Containment and safety systems
- External wall: 300mm thick precast concrete slab + steel structure keel, wind pressure resistance 4.0kPa
- Fire protection system: automatic sprinkler fire extinguishing + intelligent smoke sensor linkage, evacuation channel width ≥ 3.5 meters
- Acoustic design: perforated sound-absorbing panels are installed on the wall, and the reverberation time is controlled within 1.5 seconds
VI. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are steel structure terminals trustworthy?
At present, most of the international terminal buildings are built with steel structure, which is highly standardized. This modular design concept allows airports in different cities to significantly shorten the construction period while maintaining functionality.
In terms of quality control, steel structure buildings have mature standards and implementation methods. From the initial design, processing, assembly, to on-site acceptance, there are strict industry and national standards to form a complete quality control system. Through the precise prefabrication of materials and rapid on-site assembly, steel structure buildings can achieve personalized and diversified building appearances while ensuring that safety performance, such as earthquake resistance and fire prevention, meets the standards.
2. How to estimate the cost of terminal buildings and related steel structure buildings?
Basic cost: The construction cost of a building is affected by complex factors such as raw materials, processing, transportation, and installation. The price of steel fluctuates due to market supply and demand, and the processing fee varies due to different process difficulties. Long transportation distances will also lead to rising costs. High installation complexity will increase labor and machinery costs.
Variable factors: Regional factors have led to a significant increase in costs. For example, in plateau areas, due to factors such as complex terrain and harsh climate, the construction difficulty will increase significantly, and the labor cost will be about 15%-20% higher than that in conventional areas. If the distance is too far, the freight will, of course, increase, and the cost will increase by 15% to 20%.
If it is in coastal areas, the labor cost of the labor market continues to rise. In addition, the cyclical fluctuations in international shipping prices will also lead to an increase in logistics and transportation costs.
3. How modular steel airport terminals enhance travel efficiency & passenger experience
Taking Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates as an example, under the modular building design, the walking time for passengers from getting off the road to the boarding gate is only twelve minutes. Through BIM technology to simulate the density of human traffic, the check-in, security check, and boarding triangle areas are precisely optimized, and the passenger movement line is significantly optimized. In the end, the modularly designed terminal greatly shortens the walking time of passengers, effectively improves the travel efficiency and travel satisfaction of passengers, and creates a more convenient and comfortable travel experience.
Intelligent logistics: Modular design, by using BIM technology to simulate actual application scenarios, the path optimization of the baggage handling system is realized, the fastest transfer connection time of 45 minutes is achieved, and up to 19,200 pieces of luggage can be processed per hour, so that the optimized baggage distribution center helps passengers to obtain a seamless and efficient travel experience (information source) https://www.archiposition.com/items/20240223093536
4. How do steel structure buildings face unexpected situations? Can they adapt to extreme environments?
The excellent performance of steel structures in extreme environments has been verified by many engineering practices. Its advantages over concrete structures are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. Seismic performance
- Ductility and lightweight: Steel elongation can reach more than 20%, and its self-weight is only 50% of concrete, which significantly reduces earthquake inertia. In the Hanshin earthquake in Japan, the collapse rate of steel frame buildings was 80% lower than that of concrete.
- Elastic recovery capacity: Steel structures are designed using elastic theory, and deformation can be restored after an earthquake, while concrete structures are easily permanently damaged due to their brittleness.
2. Wind resistance
- High wind speed tolerance: Steel structures can withstand wind speeds of 70m/s (17-level typhoon), and Zhuhai Airport successfully withstood a 12-level typhoon through wind tunnel optimization design. Concrete structures may crack at wind speeds of 50m/s.
- Design optimization: Use streamlined roofs, wind-resistant support systems (such as diagonal braces, shear walls), and dampers to reduce wind vibration effects.
3. Extreme Temperature Adaptability
- Low temperature resistance: The Antarctic research station uses low temperature resistant steel (remains tough at −60°C) to avoid the brittle cracking of concrete in extreme cold.
- High temperature resistance: Heat-resistant steel (such as 12Cr1MoV) combined with fire-retardant coating has a fire resistance limit of 3.0 hours (concrete only 2.0 hours), and still maintains 60% strength at a high temperature of 600°C.
4. Anti-corrosion and durability
- Long-term protection: 320μm ultra-thick anti-corrosion coating + cathodic protection technology extends the life of the steel structure to 50 years, far exceeding the 10-year repair period of concrete under chloride ion corrosion.
- Environmentally friendly maintenance: Steel is 100% recyclable, and the repair cost is 40% lower than that of concrete.
V. Construction and Economic Benefits
- Fast construction: Modular design shortens the construction period by 30%-50% (e.g., 1,000 m2 only takes 20 days), and concrete curing takes 28 days.
- Large span capability: Column-free spans can reach 353m (such as hangars), and concrete usually does not exceed 50m.
Typical cases
1. Zhuhai Airport: The Steel roof is optimized through a wind tunnel to resist strong winds, and the stainless steel metal roof enhances typhoon resistance.
2. Antarctic Research Station: Low-temperature-resistant steel and modular design solve the problem of extreme cold construction.
3. Beijing Daxing Airport: Geothermal thawing technology eliminates frost heave and reduces settlement by 70%.
Conclusion
Steel structure has shown significant advantages in earthquake resistance, wind resistance, corrosion resistance, and extreme temperature environments through material innovation (weathering steel, heat-resistant steel), protection technology (fireproof/anti-corrosion coating), and design optimization (modularization, seismic isolation bearings). It is especially suitable for scenes with high requirements for safety and rapid construction, such as airports and bridges.
Advantages of XTD Steel Structure aviation infrastructure solutions
At present, XTD Steel Structure has successfully delivered dozens of large hub airport steel structure projects, whether it is the construction of complex curved steel frame systems or the installation of ultra-high-altitude large-span spatial structures, from airport terminals to cargo hub complex construction, we use BIM technology to deeply integrate design blueprints with manufacturing practices, rely on innovation to continuously shorten delivery time, systematically solve engineering construction problems, and continuously promote technological innovation and optimization in the field of aviation construction.