Issue 15

The design, construction and operation of an efficient aircraft maintenance hangar probably represents the largest and most important single investment made by an aircraft operator with regard to aircraft support services. At the heart of this is the design process which, when executed properly, reduces the one-off cost of construction and optimises the ongoing organisational and maintenance costs. The design itself can be challenging due to the requirements of long clear spans, the necessary provision for substantial loads to be suspended from the roof, airport restrictions on building height and the uncertainty imposed by the need to cater for progressively larger aircraft. This paper reviews over 20 different design solutions that have been adopted worldwide for commercial aircraft hangars that cater for both narrow and wide-bodied aircraft. It identifies useful data and design trends, which will benefit the early stages of the structural frame development. Steven J. Luke, BSc (Hons), MSc, CEng, FIStructE, FICE, MISWE, MIHKE, Ove Arup & Partners Ltd W. Paul Howson, BEng, PhD, CEng, MIStructE, MICE, Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University

The structural design of a three-storey apartment block in Sendai, Japan is described. This structure uses cross-linked reinforced concrete slabs to connect two blocks of accommodation and hence improve the performance of the structure under seismic loading. As a result lighter columns could be used around the building perimeter as well as flat slab construction for all floors and roof. Alan Burden,DEng, MSc, DIC, CEng, MICE, MIStructE Structured Environment Ltd, Tokyo/ Kanto-Gakuin University, Yokohama, Japan