May-June-2022 - 19

AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS
deemed modernization necessary to streamline passenger flow,
increase space and amenities, and create a more efficient and
a " positively MEMorable " travel experience.
The modernization project focused on the spine and the
southeast leg of the B Concourse. Gates are no longer spread
out over three concourses. The B Concourse consolidates
airlines, retail and food and beverage options, and A and C
concourses have been decommissioned.
If passenger growth increases substantially, the southwest
leg of the B Concourse could be modernized to add as many
as 15 more gates. Twenty-three gates can accommodate 3
million enplanements per year, which would represent a 50
percent increase over current enplanement levels.
Prior to the modernization, Thomas Poulos, senior principal
with Thornton Tomasetti, describes the concourse was 60
feet (three 20-foot bays) wide, with columns running down
the middle, a narrow hallway, very narrow hold room and
very little room for concessions. Thornton Tomasetti provided
structural design, façade engineering and sustainability consulting
services to Alliance and local architect UrbanARCH
Associates for the project.
Before the airport could widen its corridors, create larger
boarding areas with a more open and flexible floor plan and
increase its ceiling height, it had to address another sizable
challenge.
" People don't really think about Memphis being a seismically
active region, " said Zachary Treece, senior project engineer
with Thornton Tomasetti. But, he continued, " This New
Madrid Fault in the past has resulted in very large earthquakes,
which requires any new structure in the Memphis region, all
the way up to St. Louis really, to be designed to withstand
high levels of seismic activity on the order of what you would
see in Los Angeles. "
The challenge was creating open spaces and plenty of room
for concessions and places to relax and do work while waiting
for a flight, and at the same time reduce the seismic demand.
How did they do it?
MEM B Concourse Engineering
Facts & Figures
f 126 tension rods tie the
existing concourse to
the new concourse.
Each tension rod is
pre-tensioned to
50,000 lbs.
f 2,000 tons of
structural steel
f 30 roof trusses
spanning 100 feet
create wider, columnfree
concourses with
ceilings that are 67%
higher than before.
f Seismic upgrades made
the concourse 15x
stronger than before.
f 5-foot-thick mat
foundations support
the building.
f Anchor rods capable of
supporting 220,000
lbs. each are used to
anchor the columns
into the footings.
Source: Thornton
Tomasetti
" We cut off the top level, the existing roof level and then
we spanned over it with long span steel trusses to create a
column-free space, " Treece said. " So you go from a 60-footwide
concourse with columns interrupting your hold rooms
and your hallways to a 100-foot-wide concourse with no
columns, and it's very open and very comfortable. "
Poulos added, " We reduced the seismic demand of the
structure by about 60 percent. This created a very simple
one-story structure that could accommodate the new expansion
without further remediation. By connecting the new
expansion into the remaining structure, we were able to design
a new combined structure that meets the new earthquake code. "
Passengers might not know what it took to make the concourse
seismically sound, but they will notice more natural
light through View Smart Windows, moving walkways, new
retail and restaurant options, artwork and amenities including
a business center, pet restroom, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital Patient Lounge, a military lounge, children's play
area and additional seating areas. 
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May-June-2022

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