Construction World January 2017

ROADS & BRIDGES

New Kasane International terminal building operational The new terminal building at Kasane International Airport in Botswana went operational by the end of 2016. This is the final stage of an extensive overall upgrade project that will be completed by mid-2017. The approved concept called for a 10 000 m² expandable, smart, aesthetically-

pleasing, climate-controlled,-functional building, Jaco Theron, resident project manager, project and construction services, Africa for AECOM, explains. Buildability was an obstacle for the design team due to the remote location within Botswana. The structure had to be designed in such a way so as to accommodate material availability. Sourcing aggregates posed a particular challenge for the contractor, with some aggregates imported from neighbouring Namibia, and some trucked in from Francistown, about 500 km away. In addition, the existing terminal building had to remain functional throughout construction, and also be encompassed into the new building, without demolishing any of the existing structure. Kasane International Airport is located in north-eastern Botswana in proximity to the confluence of Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, making it a perfect tourism hub, as it borders the Chobe Game Reserve. 

AECOM was appointed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) to provide consulting and supervision services for the Kasane International Airport Improvement project. It caters for the future growth of the airport, and boosts its capacity for more frequent international flights. Construction works for the airside facilities included upgrading the existing 2 120 m x 30 m runway to a 3 000 m x 45 m wide surfaced runway, plus a new apron to accommodate three large aircraft

and several smaller non-scheduled aircraft. The airside construction works were completed in April 2013. However, passenger flow increased beyond the capacity of the existing 1 300 m 2 terminal building, which needed to be upgraded urgently. The AECOM design team was appointed for the entire scope of the project, including architecture, project management, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, fire services and piping.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JANUARY 2017