Equipped with the strong technical advantages and the world-class capacity in the construction of large-span hangars, Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) is continuously conquering the construction difficulties and setting new records.
On the day of September 3rd, 2018, the world’s longest steel structural roof of the China Southern Airlines No.1 Hangar at Beijing New Airport was integrally and synchronously lifted by BCEG, which marks the topping out of the 404-meter-span aircraft hangar. This world-record-breaking hangar is the first to none in the “ultra-low low-altitude super-long span” construction and it is both a remarkable breakthrough for the aviation industry as well as the construction industry.
By combining grids and trusses as well as innovatively adopting diagonal trusses in order to optimize the load-bearing structure system, 2800 tons steel materials were drastically saved. Weighing 7,200 tons, the steel grids and trusses were assembled at the ground and synchronously lifted to the designated level, 30 meters above the ground, with the help of 53 heavy lifts. The finished hangar will have 5 bays for wide-body aircrafts and 3 bays for narrow-body aircrafts which makes it possible to house 12 aircrafts, including 2 Airbus A380s and 3 Boeing 777s.
BCEG has achieved spectacular success in the construction of aircraft hangars, and the two most renowned are the 4-Bay Hangar and the A380 Hangar, both at Beijing Capital International Airport.
BCEG dedicated to build the 4-Bay Hangar at Beijing Capital International Airport in 1996. With a length of 306 meters, a width of 95 meters, a height of 30 meters, and a covering an area of about the size of four football fields, the hangar could hold a maximum of 4 aircrafts. The hangar was also equipped with facilities for professional aviation maintenance. Ever since then, BCEG started to conquer even more difficulties and achieve even more achievements in the field of aircraft hangar construction.
Since the first flight of the “Giant” Airbus A380 in 2005, BCEG started the construction of the “nursing home” for A380 aircrafts—the A380 Hangar at Beijing Capital International Airport. During the construction, the hangar has set multiple world records—the largest, longest-spanned and heaviest aircraft hangar roof lifted at one time. It was the first time in the history of steel construction that such a large steel roof--352.6 meters long, 114.5 meters wide, 40 thousand square meters large—was pre-assembled at the ground and lifted at once. No steel structure of this size has been one-time lifted before this project. This 7,200-ton mega roof was seamlessly welded by 42056 pieces and the whole construction process was facilitated by the state-of-art computer control system.
Despite of the past success, challenges in the future are over the horizon. BCEG will be actively assisting the development of Chinese aviation industry while practicing President Xi Jinping’s calling for the "integrated world advanced engineering construction achievements" and a "new engine for regional economic growth".
