BMT Asia Pacific, leading an integrated specialist BMT team, announced today its role in the design and turn-key delivery of a radome for the new cruise terminal building at Kai Tak in Hong Kong for Dragages Hong Kong Limited, the Main Design and Build Contractor.
A radome’s typical role is to provide a weatherproof enclosure transparent to radar. Breaking away from the conventional ‘golf ball’ radome, the new accentuated radome shape complements the sweeping curves and elongation of the cruise terminal feature roofs.
This particular design brings about a number of challenges associated with a complex wind environment and structural and radio frequency compliance, all complicated by the requirement to install the structure almost 50m above the old runway level. BMT was initially tasked to review the available design and construction options so that the optimum solution could be delivered and has recently taken on the project’s realisation on site.
The composite radome and its supporting internal steelwork platform is subject to typhoon wind and dynamic loads and must therefore be constructed to tight tolerances, whilst light enough for easy installation. These specific requirements led BMT to assemble a design, steelwork and structural composite team more familiar with the challenges of bespoke marine design projects as opposed to buildings, but for whom the core challenges are commonplace.
Dr Richard Colwill, Managing Director of BMT Asia Pacific, comments:
“The structural design and fabrication of the radome marries the analytical, design and project management capability of BMT, with a team of specialist contractors.
We are pleased to be helping our client with such a challenging and unusual requirement by utilising this marine skill base for such a landmark terrestrial project.”
The BMT team includes specialists from BMT Nigel Gee and BMT Fluid Mechanics.
[mappress]
Source: BMT, August 17, 2012