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Structure of the new Zagreb airport passenger terminal

Conference Paper · February 2014

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Jure Radić Anđelko Vlašić

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Structure of the new Zagreb airport
passenger terminal
Jure Radić
Anđelko Vlašić

Prof. Jure Radić

University of Zagreb
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Department of Structural Engineering

dr. Anđelko Vlašić

University of Zagreb
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Department of Structural Engineering

Scientific Symposium FUTURE TRENDS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

Zagreb, Croatia, 17-18 February 2014
Future Trends in Civil Engineering

Structure of the new Zagreb airport passenger terminal

Abstract

The design of the new airport terminal by Branko Kincl,Velimir Neidhardt and Jure Radić
was awarded a first prize following an international competition organised by the City of
Zagreb in 2008. The airport design comprises an multidimensional approach integrating
construction, form, urbanism, ecology and functionality.An important part of the terminal’s
architectural design is the fluid form of its roof and the tubular passenger piers sprouting
out on each side. This recognisable form will define the new terminal’s identity and its
surrounding area. In achieving this form, a new innovative solution was used for the roof
structure, comprising a triangular steel grid space truss for the main building and truss arch
vault for the piers.The concrete construction of the interior comprises three dilatations
of mixed precast TT beam floor slabs, reinforced concrete beams and monolithic floor
slabs. Horizontal forces are supported by 4 concrete cores and shear walls.With a gross
building area of 65.800 m2 and a starting capacity for 5 million passengers per year, Zagreb
airport is to become a major air traffic regional centre.

Key words: airport, Zagreb city, form, architecture, steel space truss

_______________________________________________________________

Konstrukcija novog zračnog putničkog terminala u Zagrebu

Sažetak

Projekt novog terminala zagrebačkog aerodroma autora, čiji su autori Branko Kincl,
Velimir Neidhardt i Jure Radić, osvojio je prvu nagradu na međunarodnom natječaju Grada
Zagreba 2008. godine. Ovaj projekt aerodroma rezultat je integralnog multidisciplinarnog
pristupa, ujedinjujući elemente konstrukcije, forme, urbanizma, ekologije i funkcionalnosti.
Važan dio arhitektonskog oblikovanja je fluidna forma njegovog krova s cjevastim
putničkim izdancima sa svake strane glavne zgrade. Takav prepoznatljivi oblik definirat
će identitet novog terminala i okolnog područja. Kako bi se postiglo ovakvo oblikovanje,
primjenjuju se nova i inventivna rješenja prostorne rešetke krovišta glavne zgrade i
rešetkastog svoda izdanaka. Betonska konstrukcija unutrašnjosti izvedena je u tri dilatacije
i obuhvaća miješane sustave predgotovljenih TT stropnih sustava, armiranobetonskih
greda i monolitnih stropnih ploča. Horizontalna djelovanja preuzimaju četiri betonske
jezgre i posmični zidovi. Ukupne površine 65.800 m2 i početnog kapaciteta od 5 milijuna
putnika godišnje, zagrebački aerodrom postati će vodeće regionalno središte zračnog
prometa.

Ključne riječi: zračna luka, grad Zagreb, oblikovanje, arhitektura, čelična prostorna rešetka

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 Structure of the new Zagreb airport passenger terminal

1. Project history
1.1. Existing Zagreb airport

Zagreb Airport was first built during World War II to serve as a military airport and
it retained that function until 1959 when it was opened for civil traffic. In the sixties
and seventies, it grew at the fastest rate ever with more than a 70% increase in traffic
each year. Passenger traffic is dominated mostly by international flights, of which most
passengers are local passengers (80%), followed by transfer passengers (20%). Since its
beginning, Zagreb airport went through several reconstructions. In 1966, a new 5.000 m2
terminal extension was built, and in 1974 and 1984, additional extensions were added
to increase the total airport area to about 15.000 m2, which remains unchanged to this
day. In addition to the passenger terminal extensions, in 1984 a new cargo terminal with
an area of 2.200 m² was also built, and the runway was reconstructed and prolonged
to 3.250 m, along with the erection of some other supporting facilities. When Croatia
became independent in 1990, Zagreb Airport consequently became national and capital
city airport. The existing passenger terminal capacity of about 1.5 million passengers
per year was already reached in 2005, while in 2007 the recorded peaked at 1.992
million passengers. Without doubt, the present situation does not permit further
optimum development of traffic capacities. Therefore, the imperative is to take action
in order to prevent stagnation in traffic capacities and to raise the level of the airport’s
technical capability and services. Due to shortcomings of the existing location, it has
been decided that the New Passenger Terminal must be built on a nearby location.The
new location allows for a longer runaway and better layout of the building, so that the
terminal building and other facilities can comply with all the new safety regulations
with respect to minimal distances and infrastructure needs.

1.2. Evaluations of the new terminal

After a decision was made in favour of a new terminal building, an international

competition was announced. A total of 17 respectable authors responded to the call.
An international panel of judges awarded first prize to the project by Branko Kincl,
Velimir Neidhardt and Jure Radić (Figure 1). Second prize was awarded to the project
by Shigeru Ban and Taro Okabe (Figure 2a), and the third prize when to Norman Foster
for his project (Figure 2b). Of the other entries, two were awarded fourth and fifth
prize, and four others were bought out.

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Figure 1. The 2008 Zagreb airport competition: first prize won by Branko Kincl, Velimir
Neidhardt and Jure Radić

Figure 2. The 2008 Zagreb airport competition: a) second prize won by Shigeru Ban and Taro
Okabe; b) third prize won by Norman Foster

In 2011, a concessionary agreement was signed with the French company Bouygues
for the erection of the terminal according to the modified winning design, provided
that the architectural concept of the authors was retained. Both the authors and the
concessioner agreed to some changes in order to optimise the cost of the New Terminal,
but at no expense to the visual identity defined in the competition design. Table 1
shows technical and economic information about both designs – the original winning
design and the newly accepted cost-effective main design. Table shows information
about the terminal that will be built in Phase 1. Phase 2 is to be built in the future
when traffic increases, as an extension of the pier lengths on both sides to allow for
more aircraft docking gateways. The agreed concession period is 30 years. At the end
of the concession period, the overall extension built in the 2nd phase, which is not

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part of this main design project, shall serve 8 million passengers per year. In 2013, the
main design was finished and the building permit issued. Major construction works will
commence in spring 2014.

Table 1. Design information and comparison (for Phase 1)

Comparison Cost effective

Winning design
Design information main Design

Passengers / year 5 million (phase 1); up to 8 million (phase 2)

Layout area (Main building) 155 x 165 m 129,6 x 136,8 m
353 m (left), 93 m (left)
Pier lengths
151 m (right) 50 m (right)
Gross construction area 73.320 m2 65.883 m2
Number of Levels Basement, 0, 1-4 0, 1-3
Concrete construction Monolithic Precast + Monolithic
Three-directional Plane Triangular grid Space
Steel roof construction
Truss Truss
Estimated cost 280 – 300 mil € 236 mil €

2. Architectural design, utilization and urbanism

2.1. Airport surroundings and interaction

Zagreb Airport is to become the prime urban development factor, by directing its
penetration force towards main Zagreb metropolitan environment, and more importantly,
towards the city of Velika Gorica, which is located in its vicinity, and by facilitating
merger of the two. Through its overall attraction and the inter-functioning of the new
airport, all surrounding areas will acquire features conforming to the highest urban
standards and will gain national importance, potentially becoming the key performing
factors for the urban efficiency of metropolitan Zagreb. The landside surroundings of
the terminal building is divided on two parts, the east in-bounding side and the west
out-bounding side, both of which will have stands and vehicle parking facilities (Figure
3). The spatial organisation leads to the dominance of a pedestrian area in the middle
of the landside complex, which designed shape similar to that of a central esplanade
plateau. It is oriented along its axis towards the entrance facade of the terminal building.
This pedestrian oasis with a variety of urban amenities connects in functional terms
the front of the terminal with both eastern and western sides of the large parking
area for vehicles, and finally reaches south towards the future development of Airport
City through a future underground passage. Green landscaping provides an essence

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of nature blending in close to the centre of the new airport terminal building. This
green concept is then further reiterated throughout the project, and especially in the
new airport terminal, using greenery modular units as interior architectural elements,
together with the outdoor extensions.The interior and especially the departure gallery,
are interventions that will provide a natural effect on the microclimate. Transparent
facades and discrete structural elements join the interior and exterior into one universal,
multifunctional and diverse area.

Figure 3. New Zagreb Airport layout and surroundings

2.2. Architectural form

The dominant architectural form of the terminal fulfils both its functionality and its
desired landmark purpose. Main structural form is presented by a wavy roof, which
levitates in a form of wind carried banner over the main building. This roof calmly
transcends into an airside façade, which then fluidly continues as two pier structures
for aircraft docking purposes. The whole terminal resembles an extended flagpole
displaying the combination of the long linear inductive pole structure, softly wrapped in
a dynamic envelope, which unwraps itself to levitate above the terminal hall generating
the free dynamics of the flying roof – an iconic expression of the landscape. Such spatial
harmony is apparent inside the terminal from a series of different function generated
aesthetic attractions. The levitating roof envelope provides a maximum exposure of
the hall interior and the widest possible panoramic orientation towards both Zagreb
and its mountain, and the dynamic development on the approach side of the new
airport terminal.

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 Structure of the new Zagreb airport passenger terminal

2.3. Utilization flexibility

The basic design principles deal with the overall rationality - with an unambiguous
distribution of functions and with clear, spatial focal points - all designed to fulfil a
perfect passenger orientated pattern.The design method focuses on the flexibility of the
conceptual scheme. It provides adaptability to developing or changeable needs and in the
end, to the optimal functional performance of the terminal.This consequently leads to
possibilities of rational usage of spaces within any new and future air traffic scenarios.The
architectural form of the terminal building rests on two discrete geometrical systems: a
linear dynamic pier structure and a covered compact rational floor plan of the terminal
hall.The large size of the hall is modular in space, totally flexible and ready to support any
functional change, such as a switch from international to domestic capacity flows, from
non-Schengen to Schengen regimes, and vice versa.The pier design provides flexibility,
which is necessary for sustaining the expected increase of air traffic in the future.This
is accomplished by the linear prolongation of piers or by the possible addition of air
bridges to the south-west pier; all this in order to allow a double-sided pier function.

3. Construction
3.1. General

The total layout dimensions of the main building are 136.8 m across to the pier and
129.6 m along the pier direction (Figure 4a). The total layout of the roof structure
(roof shadow) is 151.2 m in width by 152.3 m in length.The highest roof point is at an
elevation of 34 m. The piers are 82.8 m (left) and 39.6 m (right) long. The width of the
piers is 14.4 m. The main building is a concrete structure that comprises the ground
floor (GF) + 3 floors: ground floor 0.00 m, first floor +5.40 m, second floor +10.20 m
and third floor 15.00 m.The roof structure is a steel space truss at an elevation of 20 m,
and rises up to 34 m.The left and right piers are concrete structures comprising GF+2
floors: ground floor 0.00 m, first floor +5.40 m, and second floor +10.20 m (Figure 2b).
The pier roof is an arch vault comprising a steel space truss construction (Figure 2c).

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Figure 4. Terminal layout and cross sections: a) layout plan; b) middle section of the main
building; c) pier section

3.2. Concrete construction

The terminal foundations comprise strip foundations b/h = (2.0, 2.4, 2.8, 3.0, 3.4, 4.0,
5.0) m / 1.2 m, isolated footings 4.0/4.0/1.20 m to 6.0/6.0/1.2 m and a local raft h=1.2
m under the thick core-walls. Foundations are horizontally connected with ground
beams b/h = 40/40, 50/50 and 40/100 cm. Pier foundations comprise strip foundations
b/h = 1.2 / 1.2 m with local rafts. Horizontal floor bearing structure of the main building
mostly comprises precast elements (TT prestressed floor systems) except for areas
next to the core walls and the front of the building (anchorage places for steel truss
facade) which comprise monolithic flat slabs.The pier concrete floor bearing structure

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comprises monolithic slabs of 30-40 cm thickness. Monolithic and precast parts of the
slabs can be seen in Table 2, whereas the colour scheme is shown in Figure 5.

Table 2. Types of concrete construction for the main terminal building (colour
scheme as shown in Figure 5)

Figure 5. Representation of the concrete structure for the main terminal building
(upper) and pier (lower)

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The main building’s concrete floor supporting grid structure (defined by columns and
beams) is 7.2 x 14.4 m, and 7.2 m x 7.2 m and located next to the core walls. Parts of
the structure extend through two floors (overall height of 10.2 m) with the support
grid 14.4 m x 14.4 m. The pier’s concrete floor supporting grid structure is 7.2 m x
7.2 m. Horizontal stability of the main building is ensured by utilising a hybrid system
consisting of four concrete cores (red areas in Figure 5) and shear walls (40 cm thick).
Horizontal stability of the piers is ensured by combined system of walls and frames
running in both directions.The column layout grid is 7.2/7.2 m, 7.2/14.4 m and 14.4/14.4
m. Its cross-section is rectangular 60/60 cm and circular Ø70 cm. Concrete pedestals
for the branching steel supports of the roof steel structure are 1.5 m in diameter.

3.3. Steel truss roof construction

The roof structure of the main building is a steel space truss structure. The roof is a
wavy shape running in both directions, and merges with the facade that faces the runway,
and which has a tubular shape with variable elevation (Figure 6). The piers roofs on
both sides of the main building are also a tubular section with variable height. Between
the space trusses of the main building’s front facade and the piers there is a dilatation
separating the space trusses (and the concrete floors).

Figure 6. Terminal roof exhibiting a wavy form

The basic disposition view of the main building comprises triangular grid shapes with
each triangle having a base of 3.6 m and a height of 3.6 m. These triangles define the
axes of the chord truss members. The grid of the bottom chord is displaced 1.8 m
longitudinally and 1.2 m transversely with respect to the top chord (Figure 8).The top
and bottom chord are joined together with diagonal members. The basic layout plan

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of the pier space truss is ≈3.6 x 2.4 m. Grid shapes are also triangular. The top chord
axes are offset with respect to bottom chord axes, in a manner similar to the main
building area. The roof structure layout of piers is harmonized with the layout of the
main building roof structure. The axial height of the space structure is 3.0 m in the
main building area and 1.4 m in the pier area.
The steel space truss (Figure 7.) is made of tubular circular members with connecting
elements and spherical nodes with threaded holes. A conical element, with a sleeve-
fastened bolt, is welded at the end of each round pipe member. Members are assembled
by connecting them with bolts onto spherical nodes. The tensile force is transferred
via nodes, bolts, cones and pipes, while the compressive force is transferred via nodes,
sleeves, cones and pipes.Truss pipe members vary from Ø76.1x2.9 mm to Ø219.1x20
mm depending on the position in the truss, and the compression or tension forces.
Circular hollow sections are made of S355J0H and S235JRH. Rolled sections, sheeting
elements and nodal cones are made of S355J0 and S235J0. The main building roof
structure is supported by 18 columns, with a span layout of 43.2 x 28.8 m. Columns are
shaped as branched inverted cones and each of them comprises six members, with the
exception of the edge columns (outside of the facade) which comprise five members.
Column members are made of round pipe sections Ø406x16 mm. The columns are
supported by reinforced-concrete pedestals, and by the bottom reinforced-concrete
structure at levels +10.20 m and +15.00 m. Near the building-pier connection, instead
of columns the roof is supported by truss walls which continue into the pier structure
(Figure 10). The roof structure comprising piers is supported on both sides by the
bottom reinforced-concrete structure at levels +10.20 m (inner chord) and +5.40 m
(outer chord).The structure’s roofing is made of trapezoidal steel sheeting with thermal
insulation, and possesses a minimum bearing capacity of qk=2 kN/m2 (for imposed loads)
and a span of L ≤ 4 m. The assembly method for the space truss will be decided after
completing the design and selecting the contracting company, meaning that the assembly
can be adjusted in accordance with the contractor’s capability and available equipment.

Figure 7. Triangular roof construction incorporating the steel space truss

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Figure 8. Main building space truss plan-view (left) and pier space truss section (right) (blue:
top chord, magenta: bottom chord, orange: diagonals)

Steel bridge structures that spread from the main building and piers toward the runway
incorporate steel truss systems, which rest on the the main building and pier structures,
on the reinforced-concrete ’towers’, and on columns. (Figure 9.) Where the main building
and piers connect, chords of bridges are supported by a reinforced-concrete structure
at the levels +10.20 m (top ‘tunnel’ of the bridge) and +5.40 m (bottom ‘tunnel’ of
the bridge). The supports on the main building and piers are movable in the direction
along the bridge, and fixed in the transverse direction. Where reinforced-concrete
‘towers’ connect, bridge chords are supported by hinges, horizontally immovable in
both directions. Each bridge is also supported by two columns, with supporting spans of
14.5 m and 16 m, in a direction running from the reinforced-concrete ‘tower’ towards
the runway.At the bottom, columns are fixed into reinforced concrete footings. Flanges,
verticals and top cross-beams of the bridges are steel sections. The bottom cross-
beams are rolled IPE sections and above the columns H sections are welded. Bridge
footways are made of corrugated steel sheeting strengthened longitudinally with rolled
L sections.The total axial length of each bridge, between supports at the main building
and the facade at the end of the bridge, amounts to 49.5 m.

Figure 9. Bridge for entering the pier and running towards the docked planes

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Figure 10. Steel truss arch connection between the building and pier

4. Wind tunnel testing

In order to determine the wind loads for the structural design, pressure measurements
were performed in a wind tunnel with a 1:300 scale model (Figure 11) of the main
building with piers. The wind loads for the structural design were calculated based on
a basic wind speed at the site of vb,0 = 25 m/s. In accordance with the rules given in
Eurocode EN 1991-1-4, the corresponding design gust pressure for a maximum roof
height (H=34 m) was calculated to be qp=1.25 kN/m2. The wind loads derived from
wind tunnel testing were based on this design gust pressure. The most important
vibration modes have the lowest eigenfrequencies higher than 1.6 Hz and comprise
horizontal deflections. Therefore, there was no need to consider significant dynamic
load augmentations caused by gust-induced vibrations. The measured effective static
net wind load patterns for different wind directions ranged from 0.25 kN/m2 to 0.75
kN/m2.The patterns were given in the top views and elevations of the roof and facades.
The measurements were performed in wind direction increments of 10°. In order
to reduce the amount of load for cases that required consideration in the structural
design, the wind load patterns were given for wind direction sectors in increments
of 30°. The measured wind loads are exterior wind loads with the exception of the
overhanging roof parts, where net wind loads are measured (difference between topside
and underside wind loads was considered). The wind loads act always normal to the
considered surface. Internal pressures were not measured - the recommended value
_
was taken from Eurocode as wi = +0.20 kN/m2 and wi = 0.30 kN/m2.

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Figure 11. Wind tunnel testing on a 1:300 scale model

In addition to wind loads resulting from wind pressure acting perpendicular to the
surfaces, wind induced friction loads were also considered. Due to the wavy structure
of the terminal roof, horizontally acting wind forces caused by the pressure differences
between the windward and leeward inclined roof surfaces were taken into account.
These pressure differences were measured in the wind tunnel and recalculated into
corresponding friction forces and produced the same horizontal wind force while
assuming a smooth roof surface (no considerable ribs). The friction coefficients vary
from cfr = 0.05 for the main building (wavy inner part) to cfr = 0.02 for the pier roof.
The friction forces act in the wind direction and are used along the whole roof surface
for all wind directions.

References

[1] Main design of the New Passenger Terminal Airport Zagreb: Book 1-1 (Architectural
design), Book 2-1 (Steel construction design), Book 2-2 (Reinforced concrete
construction design), 2013

[2] Zagreb International Airport New Passenger Terminal: Wind load study (wind
tunnel tests), Interim report: Structural wind loads, Project engineer A. Bitzer, 2014

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