Helping Projects Take Flight
Industry-leading research and development. Proprietary analysis and production tools.
In-depth knowledge of local materials preferences and construction practices. We bring the full force of our distinctive blend of experience, resources and technological innovation – and a deeply collaborative interdisciplinary approach – to every aviation facility we design.
Building for tomorrow: flexible & resilient design
Employing technology to optimize outcomes
Performance-based seismic & fire engineering
Speeding construction & reducing risk with Advanced Project Delivery TM
Long-span expertise
Embodied-carbon expertise
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
RESTORATION & RENEWAL ACOUSTICS & VIBRATION
Firm-wide support
SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCE
FAÇADE ENGINEERING
Creative solutions for complex challenges.
PROTECTIVE DESIGN & SECURITY CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
FORENSICS & INVESTIGATIONS
High-performance building design
Proactive & collaborative
Multidisciplinary emergency response & remediation
TRUSTED PARTNER
When you work with us, we’ve got your back, every time.
GLOBAL AVIATION EXPERIENCE
Projects of every type and size, all over the world.
ICONIC DESIGN
Creative problem-solving yields constructable designs for complex forms.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
We use cutting-edge tools to invent new ways of solving difficult problems.
ADVANCED PROJECT DELIVERY
Collaborative process streamlines steel procurement and erection for faster construction and reduced risk.
Whether it’s a terminal, hangar, support structure, parking garage or transit connection, aviation facilities require highly specialized experience.
With experience on more than 900 projects, we know the ins and outs of aviation design and construction.
We relish the challenge of fine-tuning a structure –from scratch or by updating or expanding an older one – to adapt to changing needs, optimize operational efficiency and the traveler experience, and accommodate new technologies.
© John Wright - MediaWright
© HKS
Terminals
Hangars Support &
PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
TERMINAL MODERNIZATION PROGRAM
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Gensler-HDR JV in association with Luis Vidal + Architects, PJ Dick | Hunt
The 635,000-square-foot terminal is topped by an undulating long-span roof. Advanced modeling enabled swift iteration and selection of a more efficient roof geometry and constructable structural geometry. Our performancebased fire analysis allowed exposed steel columns to be filled with concrete instead of coated with intumescent paint, providing fire safety plus improved aesthetics and lower construction cost. The $1.3 billion project also includes a multihazard risk assessment and renovations to existing concourses.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, SUSTAINABILITY, SECURITY SERVICES, PERFORMANCE-BASED FIRE ENGINEERING, CORE MODELING
BIOPHILIC DESIGN
The roof’s form mimics the shape of surrounding hills. Within, it provides a forest-like canopy with pockets between ribbons diffusing natural light into the space.
DETROIT METRO AIRPORT
NORTH TERMINAL
Romulus, Michigan
Gensler in association with Ghafari Architects, Walbridge/Barton Malow Company
We provided structural design and blast studies for a 26-gate, 824,000square-foot terminal. Story-deep trusses frame the main entrance to an open three-story, light-filled space. Our design used three types of foundation systems to facilitate construction and accommodate an existing utility tunnel. And the baggage claim area roof was designed to support a roadway above.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, PROTECTIVE DESIGN
Courtesy Vito Palmisano and Gensler
EFFICIENCY & FLEXIBILITY
Cost control was a high priority for the Wayne County Airport Authority, so our engineering team designed the structure for maximum efficiency, with a focus on future flexibility.
Courtesy Vito Palmisano and Gensler
Copenhagen Airport, Terminal 3 Expansion
Kastrup, Denmark
Sustainability Consulting, Structural Peer Review
Memphis International Airport
Memphis, Tennessee
Seismic Risk Assessment, Retrofit Concept Design, Resilience Consulting
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Phase Two
Guangzhou, China
Structural Engineering
San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 2 Renovation LEED Gold
San Francisco, California
Sustainability Consulting
Spokane International Airport, Terminal Renovation & Expansion Program
Spokane, Washington
Structural Engineering, Façade Design
. . . AND THAT’S NOT ALL!
We do more than just design new terminals. Renovations. Seismic upgrades. Forensic investigations, repair and remediation. Noise and vibration consulting. Sustainability and performance improvements. Resilience checkups. We can help with all these and more.
Courtesy Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects
INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
COL. H. WEIR COOK TERMINAL
Indianapolis, Indiana
HOK, Hunt-Smoot Midfield Builders
The 40-gate terminal features a soaring 320,000-square-foot roof. The roof’s exposed steel structure is supported on column “trees” that bear the load of four columns with the spatial effect of only one. The roof also channels rainwater for building operations and shades the truss-and-glass curtain walls. A 200-foot circular skylight further reduces energy required for lighting.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Midwest Construction Magazine, Outstanding Engineering Function and Aesthetic Award, 2009
DESIGN FOR FUTURE NEEDS
The large column-free spaces provide maximum flexibility for changing demands in capacity, technology and security.
MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CONCOURSE B MODERNIZATION
Memphis, Tennessee
Alliance in association with UrbanARCH Associates, Flintco Construction
Our structural team literally raised the roof and replaced closely spaced columns with long-span steel trusses to create open corridors. A new steel framing system also brings the building into line with modern seismic code requirements. Our sustainability analysis focused on strategies to optimize energy performance, while our façade treatment included a new curtain wall of high-efficiency glazing that darkens in bright sunlight to block glare.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, FAÇADE ENGINEERING, SUSTAINABILITY
Courtesy Steve Austell Photography
BETTER STRUCTURE & SUSTAINABILITY
Hangars
Facilities
Here’s How
This sweeping renovation enhanced the passenger experience, improved energy efficiency and upgraded the building’s seismic performance. Why Us? TERMINALS
LAGUARDIA AIRPORT
TERMINAL B
Queens, New York
LaGuardia Gateway Partners, HOK/WSP JV, Skanska/Walsh Construction JV
Our structural design – for a new headhouse and central hall, a new utilities plant, and a bridge connecting to parking – incorporates multilayered flood and blast protection, including hostile-vehicle mitigation. We also provided redundancy design and façade support for an 83-foot-tall curving glass wall stretching 1,142 feet along the frontage roadway that is specially designed to resist blast loads.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING, FAÇADE ENGINEERING, PROTECTIVE DESIGN, FORENSICS
SUPERLATIVE RESULTS
The largest P3 project in U.S. aviation history and the first airport terminal to achieve LEED Gold certification under the USGBC’s new, more stringent guidelines. Why
TERMINALS
Hangars
Facilities
Here’s How
Saint Louis Lambert International Airport Tornado Recovery Saint Louis, Missouri
Multidisciplinary Emergency Response, Damage Assessment, Recovery Planning
Pearson International Airport, Terminal 3 Floor Vibration Toronto, Ontario
Acoustics, Noise & Vibration Consulting
John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal One Jamaica, New York
Structural Engineering
Charlotte Douglas International Airport East Terminal Expansion Charlotte, North Carolina
Blast Mitigation Design
Carrasco International Airport Roof Montevideo, Uruguay
Structural Engineering
RAPID RESPONSE
In an emergency, our experienced forensics teams are ready to respond. We assess damage and design repairs to get operations back up and running as quickly as possible.
O’HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AMERICAN AIRLINES L CONCOURSE STINGER
Chicago, Illinois
Corgan Architect, F.H. Paschen, LeJeune Steel Company
A five-gate expansion was threaded carefully into O’Hare’s busy fabric. To avoid disruptions and conflicts with utilities, much of the building is suspended from a pair of story-deep long-span trusses, and the 600-foot access walkway is built with just three spans. Our APD services helped facilitate construction; we collaborated with the contractor, steel fabricator and erection engineer to design and deliver a fully detailed Tekla model. We also performed energy modeling to evaluate solar effects on the project’s glazing.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING, FAÇADE ENGINEERING, SUSTAINABILITY, ADVANCED PROJECT DELIVERY™
CLIENT SATISFACTION
“An integrated approach to the modeling, connection engineering and erection logistics saved numerous weeks in the project schedule, expediting submittal reviews and allowing for early mill orders.”
— Frank Mullaghy, F.H. Paschen
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F.H. Paschen
UNITED AIRLINES TERMINAL 1
CURBSIDE & SOUTH BUILDING ADDITION
Chicago, Illinois
LendLease, SCB Architects
The project extended the terminal’s façade 20 feet toward the roadway and added glass-enclosed vestibules and curbside check-ins with small canopies. Our team provided blast mitigation services for the façade along its entire eastern exposure. The new South Building added 10,000 square feet for a new security checkpoint and improved circulation between Terminals 1 and 2. It was also designed to accommodate a future lounge on the mezzanine level.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, PROTECTIVE DESIGN, RENEWAL
THINKING AHEAD
The design included structural provisions for future construction of a mezzanine level for a United Club lounge.
Hangars
O’Hare International Airport, American Airlines Maintenance Hangar 2 Chicago, Illinois
Structural Engineering, Advanced Project Delivery™, Erection Engineering
Memphis International Airport, FedEx Airbus Hangar Facility Memphis, Tennessee
Structural Engineering
Dulles Jet Center Hangar Collapse Investigation Dulles, Virginia
Damage Assessment, Cause & Origin Analysis, Demolition Support
Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) Testing & Evaluation Hangar Complex Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland
Structural Engineering
Hamad International Airport, Aircraft Maintenance Hangar Doha, Qatar
Structural Engineering
MAINTENANCE ON A GRAND SCALE
American Airlines’ new maintenance facility at O’Hare International Airport, a twin-777 hangar, is the largest dual-access hangar in the world.
O’Hare International Airport, United Airlines Ground Equipment Maintenance Facility
Chicago, Illinois
Structural Engineering, Construction Engineering, Advanced Project Delivery™
Los Angeles International Airport, Consolidated Rent-a-Car Center (ConRAC)
Los Angeles, California
Protective Design, Structural Peer Review
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Airport Police Facility (APF)
Los Angeles, California
Protective Design, Façade Engineering, Sustainability, Waterproofing
O’Hare International Airport, FedEx Cargo Facility
Chicago, Illinois
Structural Engineering, Construction Engineering,
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Parking Garages
Atlanta, Georgia
Structural Engineering, Façade Engineering (canopy with ETFE membrane)
THIS STRUCTURE IS A GEM
United Airlines’ ground equipment maintenance (GEM) building at O’Hare International Airport houses workshops, overhead cranes and a painting facility. United called on us to save time by employing our APD service.
© James Steinkamp Photography
HERE’S HOW
We partner with clients to create enduring solutions.
Our engineers, architects, scientists and sustainability experts collaborate from offices worldwide to bring your goals to fruition. There’s no challenge we won’t tackle with strategic insight, robust collaboration and creative problem-solving.
We’d like to start with yours.
Acoustics, Noise & Vibration
Aviation
Biomechanics & Life Sciences
Commercial
Construction Engineering
Critical Facilities
Cultural & Community
Decarbonization
Defense
Education
Energy
Façades
Forensics & Investigations
Government
Healthcare
Hospitality & Gaming
Insurance
Laboratory & Research
Protective Design & Security
Residential
Resilience
Restoration & Renewal
Special Structures
Sports & Public Assembly
Structural Design
Sustainability
Tall & Supertall Buildings
Transportation & Infrastructure
Thomas D. Poulos
Managing Principal TPoulos@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.312.596.2118
CHICAGO
AVIATION MARKET SECTOR LEADER
In his 35-year career, Tom’s projects – new design and modernizations – have ranged from iconic terminals and the world’s largest hangars to cargo and support facilities at airports worldwide.
John Aniol
Associate Principal JAniol@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.972.764.6240
DALLAS
MID-ATLANTIC/SOUTH REGION AVIATION LEAD
John’s 35 years of experience in structural design and project management includes aviation projects totaling more than 6 million square feet.
Tyler Ranf
Associate Principal TRanf@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.206.372.5085
SAN FRANCISCO
WESTERN REGION AVIATION LEAD
Tyler’s experience includes several airport terminals. His expertise encompasses seismic resilience, sustainability and innovative delivery methods such as progressive design-build.
Jonathon Stage Vice President JStage@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.415.365.6922
SAN FRANCISCO
SUSTAINABILITY LEAD
Jonathon has 20 years of experience in the design and implementation of sustainability solutions for new structures and retrofit/renovation projects.
John Barry Principal JBarry@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.917.661.8124
NEW YORK
EASTERN REGION AVIATION LEAD
With more than 15 years of experience, John specializes in the design of long-span structures, including several airport terminal projects.
Karen Grossett Principal KGrossett@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.312.596.2278
CHICAGO
MIDWEST REGION AVIATION LEAD
Karen’s experience includes structural design for new facilities and major renovations. Her portfolio includes many long-span structures for airport terminals and other critical infrastructure projects.
Daniel Bosia
Associate Principal & Design Director DBosia@ThorntonTomasetti.com +44.020.3965.1516
LONDON
EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST REGION AVIATION LEAD
Daniel has 25 years of experience designing high-profile projects around the world. He specializes in applying computational design methods to optimize complex structures.
Matt Kuba Principal MKuba@ThorntonTomasetti.com +1.414.292.9694
MILWAUKEE
FAÇADE ENGINEERING LEAD
Matt specializes in structural and thermalperformance analysis of exterior wall systems, particularly structural glass and steel specialty structures. His aviation experience includes terminal façades and canopy structures.
We want to hear from you!
Please contact us if you’d like to collaborate or learn more about our services.
Carrasco International Airport Roof Montevideo, Uruguay
© Daniela Mac Adden