Engineering Inc. - September/October 2007 - 25

MULTI-PROJECT FEATURE t DAviD LAwRence/coRBiS By Darlene Bremer ACEC member firms are taking the lead in numerous development, expansion, modernization and safety improvement projects designed to help re-instill the “friendly” in friendly skies. will help increase efficiency and help airlines decrease costs,” observes Eric Fischer, construction manager for New York-based PB Americas, Inc., the company tapped to manage construction of Phase I, including quality assurance inspection, material testing, surveying and contract administration. The OMP is divided into two phases. Phase I includes construction of a new 7,500foot runway with associated taxiways, a 2,800-foot extension of existing runway 9R, considered the busiest runway in the world, a new 10,800-foot south airfield runway and a 255-foottall FAA tower. Construction of Phase I began in fall 2005, and the components are expected to be operational by November 2008. The full OMP includes two additional runways and a runway extension, a new 1.5 million-square-foot terminal and an automated “people mover” on the airport’s west side. But those elements, which constitute Phase II of the project, still are in the planning stages. To accommodate the new runways, the OMP must acquire approximately 600 residential and commercial pieces of land, redirect a major roadway, demolish and relocate cargo and shipping facilities and relocate a railroad line. Already completed is the relocation of a 90-inch-wide water main to accommodate the new north airfield runway. PB Americas’ responsibility for the new air traffic control tower includes oversight and management of the concrete shell and structural steel cable, including all associated nonFAA electrical and mechanical systems. “Portions of the tower will be turned over to the FAA by March 15, 2008, so that the agency can install the proprietary equipment that will make it functional,” explains Fischer. A major challenge has been contending with the vast array of soil types on the project. Developers have been forced to sort through neglected concrete and asphalt slabs left over from a previous construction project. All excavated material for the new runways is being used as embankment material stockpiled on-site—a common practice that eliminates the need to haul surplus material to dump sites. “We’ve been using a lot of fly-ash to dry up the subgrade soils so that they can be properly compacted in place,” explains Fischer. To control surface run-off during construction and reduce the risk of potentially catastrophic flooding, developers also installed drainage facilities and built a permanent retention basin to capture excess water. The task of performing phased construction on an active airport facility without disruption to existing service is no small feat. “The airport’s Eric Fischer and airlines’ operational needs determine work hours, access to certain areas, et cetera,” Fischer says. To avoid costly delays, Fischer says, the company coordinates its efforts closely with airport operations personnel and the FAA to determine when and how construction can continue around active operations. “We conduct regular weekly meetings to schedule work…to determine the impact on operations and refine the schedule accordingly,” he explains. ENGINEERING INC. sEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2007 25

Engineering Inc. - September/October 2007

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