Autonomous vehicles with up to 92 axles move the new prefabricated parts of Concourse D at Atlanta Airport
Heavy engineering and logistics specialist Mammoet has announced it is executing an expansion project for Concourse D at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, using a technique that allows the world’s busiest hub—serving over 300,000 passengers daily—to remain fully operational.
According to Mammoet, the project employs prefabricated modules, a strategy designed to minimize disruptions to the airport’s day-to-day activities. This section of the terminal, originally built in 1980, featured corridors just over five meters wide—now deemed insufficient to meet the increasing demands of air traffic.
The methodology involves transporting modules using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) during low-traffic hours, specifically between 1:00 and 4:00 a.m., following a tightly controlled schedule. Mammoet noted that in the project’s second phase, operational efficiency doubled, with two modules moved per week.
Each component travels more than a mile to its final location. The heaviest module weighed in at 694.45 tons, carried on a 92-axle SPMT, the company reported.
To position the structures at their final site, Mammoet employed eighteen 300-ton “climbing jack” hydraulic jacks, which enable a controlled lowering process beyond the operational limits of the SPMTs. These jacks operate by sequentially placing support blocks that gradually raise or lower the module.
The company argues that offsite construction and the subsequent transport of modular sections—such as buildings, bridges, or boarding areas—help sustain airport operations while offering significant advantages in time and project planning.
Once completed, the project will add more than 87 linear meters to Concourse D, increasing passenger and retail capacity and accommodating larger aircraft.
Mammoet notes that this effort joins a series of other airport-related projects it has undertaken, including the terminal expansion at Portland International Airport (PDX), the installation of an elevated bridge in Hong Kong, and the relocation of new boarding gates in Dallas.
AUTOR
Contando la aviación desde marzo del año 2000. Fundador y Managing Editor de Aviacionline.
Comentarios
Para comentar, debés estar registrado
Por favor, iniciá sesión