DOME ROOFS TO THE N.T.A. ALICANTE AIRPORT

The chosen solution for the roofs of the new terminal of the airport of Alicante presents a modular character which is very suitable for roofing large areas with medium span modules that are easy to build.

The surfaces of the roofs are pseudo-spherical so that the two families of tubular steel arches, which configure these surfaces, are made up of identical arc sections, which hence are easy to manufacture. The dome structure of the roofs is completed with two families of diagonal rods. The thus obtained triangular grid has a very efficient structural behavior.

The tubular structure, which configure the dome surface, bears on four steel box arches set at its lateral edges. At the points of support, the horizontal component of the reaction force is balanced by means of a tie which is either a prestressed cable or a steel box girder depending on the architectural requirements.