Aviation

C-17 Hangar, Travis AFB, CA

Air Traffic Control Tower

Travis AFB, CA

The project consisted of a new Air Traffic Control Tower as a replacement for an existing, outdated tower. Design criteria included a superior control cab layout for improved visibility and access. Wildman & Morris provided civil and structural engineering as well as a seismic evaluation.

The tower is a 13-story steel structure with a special concrete frame braced to the cab floor and a moment frame cab structure. The project was designed to the new Tri-Service Seismic Design Manual. This was the first tower constructed utilizing the new structural procedure.

Cost for the project was $4,500,000.

Squadron Operations Facility, Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, San Diego, California

The U.S. Navy needed a new maintenance facility for a helicopter squadron. The facility is located on Naval Air Station North Island adjacent to San Diego Bay. Rain water that comes into contact with petroleum product covered parts cannot go directly into the storm water drainage system since it goes directly to the bay. The solution was to have awnings a minimum of 65 feet wide and 75 feet long for each helicopter, clear of any supports, and that retracted into the building. Given all of the various requirements, clear span, fire protection, illumination below the awning for 24 hour operations to name a few, the solution was a rigid framing system that retracted into an interstitial space in the building.

Each awning is supported by two columns and three roof framing beams fitted with rollers. The awnings are powered by two 1/3 H.P. motors. The building required a progressive collapse analysis of the building framing system. This project was the first, and to our knowledge, the only Squadron Operations Facility with retractable awnings of this size and complexity. Wildman & Morris developed the entire awning structure, including the movement and safety systems for the awnings.