New Doha International Airport, Qatar

Qatar is building a brand new replacement airport called the New Doha International Airport (NDIA). The airport is being constructed 4km from the existing facility on a 5,400-acre site.

The new airport is a response to a projected demand for additional international passenger capacity to the region. The current airport handles 4.2 million passengers a year, whereas the new airport will be able to handle 12.5 million a year after the first phase of construction in 2010.

After its ultimate development in 2015, the airport will handle 50 million passengers, two million tons of cargo and 320,000 aircraft landings and take-offs each year.

Phases one and two will open together in 2010 giving, the airport a passenger capacity of 24 million passengers a year and allowing the transportation of 750,000t of cargo.

The airport is being constructed near the city of Doha and, when finished, will be approximately two-thirds the size of the city (12 times larger than the old airport).

Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and the New Doha International Airport Steering Committee are the bodies in Qatar responsible for the airport construction.

During the construction process the old airport will be expanded and refurbished at a cost of $140m. This will increase its capacity to 7.2 million passengers a year for the interim period.

Contractor and construction

The contract for the first phase of the airport construction and the planning and design phase was awarded to Bechtel Group Inc. The project started in early 2004 with a detailed planning and design phase and Bechtel produced a master plan of the new airport.

The work continued in 2004 with a massive land reclamation project since over half of the area of the new airport will be constructed on land reclaimed from the sea amounting to 10.9 square miles.

The land reclamation required more than 62 million cubic metres of 'fill' to complete (needed four large dredgers to complete the project). The reclamation was completed in early 2005 and the reclaimed area required 13km of armoured seawall to protect it, which is under construction. The removal of 6.5 million cubic metres of household waste from a dump to a remote engineered landfill was constructed meeting environmental standards.

The new airport will feature two of the longest commercial runways in the world, an 85m-high control tower, a 510,000 square metre passenger terminal with 40 gates, one cargo terminal, a 150,000 square metre aircraft maintenance centre, one separate terminal for the Emir of Qatar, a general aviation terminal, one of the world's largest airport catering facilities, air traffic control equipment and security systems.

Phase one

The first phase construction of the new airport will include a single runway of 4,850m designed specifically to accommodate the new Airbus A380-800 superjumbo.

A three-storey terminal building is also being constructed, including 24 contact gates and 350,000m² of floor space, of which 25,000m² will be dedicated as retail space. In addition, there will be seven remote gates.

There will also be three new major road interchanges to provide access to the new airport from the city and surrounding areas (the airport itself will have 17km of dual-carriageway and single-carriageway roads).

To facilitate the passengers, the airport will have a five-star luxury hotel and a three-star transit hotel.

The complex will also include a centrally located 48,000m² cargo terminal (750,000t/y) with 15m clearance, which will be among the 20 largest cargo terminals in the world. There will also be hard standing areas for the passenger terminal, an 80m ATC, hangar space for two A380-800s and three A340s and a 70,000m² maintenance centre with mezzanine levels for access to aircraft top decks.

For the convenience of passengers there will be an automated storage and retrieval system. Major cargo will be transported in unit load devices (ULD).

The system will have a capacity to accommodate up to 1000 ULDs. Import cargo consignments and those awaiting loading in the containers will be stored in the automated storage system.

The cargo system will include advanced facilities such as high-bay storage areas for import and export of cargo, work stations for make-up and breakdown of ULD loads, storage areas of special cargo such as hazardous materials, valuable items, cold storage, perishable foods and medicines.

Aircraft maintenance

NDIA will be the central maintenance hub for Qatar Airways' international fleet. Located in the midfield area it will be capable of handling up to eight wide-body aircraft, including A380s, and 11 aircraft.

The base will feature a single large hangar containing heavy maintenance and light maintenance bays. The column-free design of the hangar's interior ensures flexible aircraft parking and maximum maintenance efficiency.

The workshop building at the back of the aircraft hangar bays will provide specialised maintenance and automated spare parts storage. This will include specialist workshop areas for the maintenance of engines, avionics, wheels and brakes, structures, interiors, painting, galleys, in-flight entertainment systems and safety equipment.

Airport design

The design of the roof structure will make it a landmark structure in international aviation. The roof will have a wave-like structure. The transparent façade of the terminal beneath the roof will emphasise the roof's curves.

Air traffic control tower

The elevated crescent-shaped ATC tower, topped by a glazed control room, will occupy a central control between the two parallel runways and airside facilities. There will also be a training room that can double as a control room in case of emergencies.

Advanced airport system

The terminal's undulating stainless-steel roof will be finished with a new non-reflective coating to eliminate glare. The baggage system will be monitored through an automated baggage handling system (BHS) by the use of a radio frequency identification devices (RFID). It will also augment the in-line security system, which incorporates CTX level three for explosive detection.

The airport system will be connected by a fibre-optic backbone system and the airport operational database to enable further need of additional cabling. Air traffic controllers will monitor activities using high-resolution LCD monitors.

When finished, the check-in and retail areas will be about twelve times bigger than the existing check-in and retail facilities.

Environment

Comprehensive technical studies have been undertaken to determine the potential effects of the project on natural resources and communities. The reclamation of sediments and the removal of uncontrolled waste from the project site and plantation are some of the initiatives taken.

To maintain water quality and marine ecology, sediment monitoring programmes are underway and an environmental monitoring programme will be undertaken every six months.

Measures include the retention and treatment of storm water, monitoring of the sewage treatment plant and the implementation of an environmental incident response plan.

During airport operations a solid waste treatment plant (SWTP) will reduce and process solid waste. A waste water treatment plant will reuse waste water.

Qatar Airways will relocate its headquarters and training facilities to the maintenance complex at the new Doha airport when it opens. The first phase will allow the airport to serve two A380-800 superjumbos at the same time. Completion of the first phase is due to coincide with the delivery of two A380-800 aircraft to Qatar Airways. These will be the first two of a fleet of 18 Airbus aircraft. The fleet will consist of Airbus A380-800, A340-500 and A330-300 aircraft.

Construction work

In May 2006 Takenaka received a major construction contract from New Doha International Airport. The 24 month ¥27bn contract covers the construction of the Emiri terminal (9,100m² and also a 1,700m² parking area). This is a terminal for the exclusive use of the royal family and VIPs on state visits, which will feature a multi-layered arch shaped curved design resembling a yacht sail.

In addition Takenaka have been asked to construct a new car park building (two floors for 1,409 cars) and a mosque (2,000m² and a radius of 47m and a height of 13m, with a minaret 37m high).

Airport technology

When the terminal is completed in 2009 it will have moving walkways to aid in movement of passengers around the complex. There will also be CO2 and heat occupancy sensors a smart building technology so that services can be tailored according to passenger numbers (regulate air intake). In addition the wave like roof of the terminal will be tinted to prevent glare from the sun and to conserve energy.

In May 2007 ARINC and Thales were awarded a $75m contract for the IT, telecommunications and security systems at the airport. These will consist of ARINC iMuse Common-Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) at over 100 check-in desks. In addition ARINC will also install the information exchange infrastructure for data movement across the airport. Thales will work on the safety and security systems and the local area network (LAN).

Both ARINC and Thales will be involved in project design and management. Further technology is being installed on the runway and Qinetiq (a UK defence contractor) will provide Tarsier, a radar-based runway debris detection system. Three radar systems will scan the runway 24 hours a day and locate any debris or objects which could damage aircraft or be sucked into engines.

Phases two and three

The second phase of construction will include the addition of a further 16 contact gates and an extension of the terminal building to 219,000m². In addition, there will be a suspended monorail system for passenger transit through the terminal.

A further luxury hotel will be constructed to accommodate the additional passenger capacity of over 25 million a year passing through the airport. The third phase will include the addition of a further 40 contact gates, which would bring the final total to 80.

To accommodate the extra gates, the terminal building will extend to 416,000m² and would be capable of handling over 50 million passengers a year, 320,000 aircraft movements and two million tons of cargo.

The projected date for final completion is 2015. When fully completed the new Doha airport will be able to service six A380-800 superjumbos simultaneously. The airport will be the first in the world purpose-built to accommodate these aircraft. Phase three will see a second runway which will be parallel to the first one and 4,250m long.