TPS Carries Out The Architectural Design For New Air Traffic Control Tower At Muscat International Airport in Oman

It is expected that the new air traffic control tower at Muscat International Airport, Sultanate of Oman, will become an international symbol for Oman. Standing at just less than 100 metres in height, it will be the tallest occupied building in the country’s capital, Muscat, when it opens. It is located to the south of the new passenger terminal west pier and linked to the terminal building by a glazed bridge link.

The project - 11 new buildings in total with associated external works - is procured under a design & build contract and is part of a wider redevelopment scheduled for completion in 2014, which will allow the airport to handle 12 million visitors per year.

TPS has started work on the new development , which will include an iconic air traffic control tower, an air transport management complex, a contingency and training centre, plus fire and sea rescue facilities.

The slenderness of the structure subjected to variable wind forces will cause it to sway. TPS, the principal consultant to the project, is carrying out all the architectural design and, for the ATC, has brought in Mott Macdonald and RWDI as part of the team to analyse the structural characteristics of the tower, and also to re-evaluate the wind tunnel test data that was previously undertaken. This is to enable detailed design for all the structural elements and also determine the optimum performance parameters for a suitable damping mechanism.

Working with the Oman-based construction company Carillion Alawi, TPS and its sub-consultants are overseeing their design being implemented during the construction process which will include the installation of a Tuned Mass Damper, or a suitable alternative, to harmonise the predicted oscillations with the structure’s natural frequency, allowing the air traffic controllers to work normally at this height. The tower will provide the essential air traffic control services and has been designed to satisfy all the operational and regulatory requirements with a permanent height dispensation.

The Air Transport Management Complex (ATM) is, in reality, three buildings linked by a central hub housing the three-storey entrance foyer with lifts and stairs to all three levels. The main function of the ATM is the Area Control Centre which is accommodated in the northernmost wing, in a voluminous, extensively serviced, double-storey space, highly insulated from external visual and audible distractions. An obscured glazed gallery provides visiting parties of dignitaries, students, etc with the opportunity to observe operations without distracting the air traffic controllers. The East and West wings accommodate a variety of supporting functions including offices, laboratories, classrooms, studios, workshops, and staff welfare facilities including pantries, gymnasia, dining area, and prayer rooms, plus a meteorological department with a studio from which national weather forecasts are intended to be broadcast.

The Contingency and Training Centre is located adjacent to the ATM Complex and accommodates the operational and technical training facilities comprising classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, simulators
and other airport related support functions. A 100-person capacity auditorium forms a key facility to the C&T Centre and visual hub.

The Crash Fire Rescue facility is located on the south side of the northern runway to facilitate the required rapid emergency incident response times. The building design and fire fighting equipment will help to ensure that the current ICAO standards for fire safety are achieved and maintained.

The airport development, funded by the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communication on behalf of the Government of the Sultanate of Oman, is part of a long term strategy to diversify Oman’s economy away from oil, boosting business, leisure tourism and supporting the national airline Oman Air.

Piling and earthworks for the project started this April, with all buildings in this part of the scheme scheduled to be finished by the end of October 2012.

Regional Director of TPS, Hanif Macci, said: “The key challenges for us are to develop designs in parallel, whilst meeting the different project objectives to a tight timescale. We also have to manage design interfaces for the timely flow of information with designers of other contracts for the airport development.”