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RBG has a significant role in the construction of Abu Dhabi International Airport’s new Midfield Terminal Building Central Processor Roof (CPR). The CPR consists of two main geometrically complex structural elements – the 18 supporting arches and backstays trusses providing gravity and lateral resisting system and the overlying roof grillage. The 18 inclined arch trusses span up to 180m and 50m high, supporting the overlying roof grillage. The arches are arranged in inclined pairs along the length of the building,

However, each arch has a different span and the opposing arches are not directly connected. The roof grillage comprises fabricated I-girders up to 3.5m deep and weighing up to four tonnes per metre.

Key technical challenges

RBG assisted in the development of the erection sequence, methodology and de-propping. Design checks of the permanent steel roof structure were conducted to ensure that it is not overloaded during the construction stages, and to ensure residual or locked-in stresses are kept within acceptable limits. Services also included design and certification of the temporary roof bracing and temporary tower support structures.

  • Design checks for the concrete structure for temporary tower loads and construction equipment loading including tower cranes, mobile cranes and man-lifts.
  • Carry out wind tunnel tests for various stages of cladding installation to study the effects of wind loads on the steel structure.
  • Development of an erection stress structural analysis model for the various stages of steel structure, roof cladding and façade installation stages
  • Assessment the impacts of the roof cladding and façade installation on the permanent steel structure and advice on remedial measures where the capacity of the permanent steel structure is exceeded.

Key Innovations

Development of a highly sophisticated Strand7 analysis model with over 750,000 elements (including both permanent structure and temporary works) and incorporates over 200 construction stages. The analysis model is used to identify temporary loads for checking the permanent structure during the various stages of steel erection and de-propping and design of the temporary works.

Project Metrics

Project Value:     
$3 billion USD
Planned Completion Date:
2017
Central Feature Roof Metrics:
Total Area: 68,000 m²
Spans up o 180m & 50m high
Sectors:
Aviation
Client:
ADAC 
Primary Contractor:
TAV / CCC / ARABTEC JV

Project Metrics

Sub-Contractor:
China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC)
Architect:
Kohn Pederson Fox Associates
Permanent Works Engineer:
Arup
Structural Steel Tonnage:
18,000+ tonnes
Robert Bird Group Services:
Construction Staged Erection Stress Analysis
Staged Cladding Installation Erection Stress Analysis
Temporary Works Design
Independent Checking Engineer