Jeff Toner, of Carter & Burgess, is senior airport engineer program manager for the Killeen project. |
Municipal airports built in the 1950s and 1960s were ideal for their task, but fast-forward to the early 21st century and those same airports share some common issues. The runways are too short for regional commuter jets and have difficulty accommodating post-Sept. 11 security requirements.
Only significant renovation can overcome these challenges, but often this isn't an option. Even if land is available to extend runways and enlarge terminals, surrounding neighborhoods often fight expansion.
After Sept. 11, airport security was heightened. New terminals have one advantage over existing facilities: They can incorporate security from the ground up.
Terminal design for the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport was near 90 percent complete on Sept. 11, 2001. The design was put on hold while Carter & Burgess studied new security requirements placed on commercial service airports.
Every element of the terminal was reconsidered and many features redesigned. Discussions were held with the FAA and the newly formed Transportation Security Administration on new guidelines, many of which were still under discussion.
New emphasis was put on building security and building structural integrity. These two elements would dominate security concerns.
To determine how structurally sturdy a terminal building needs to be, architects and engineers can turn to blast analysis experts who create and test 3-D computer models based on varying parameters. Killeen sought blast analysis to look at the existing design structure and exterior. As a result, the entire frame was strengthened and exterior materials reinforced.
Terminal building windows also received special consideration. Window frames were strengthened and alternative window materials were used in the final design. Every window is different based on the load it is exposed to.
Blast analysis also can help determine the proper distance between public parking areas and the terminal. Killeen worked hard to achieve the right balance between safety and passenger convenience. During periods of elevated alert, the TSA requires a 300-ft. setback for parking, which poses a significant inconvenience to passengers lugging heavy baggage. Killeen didn't want to open its airport with a significant amount of parking closed to the public. Killeen was able to mitigate the 300-ft. rule by performing numerous blast analysis tests. The ultimate structural redesign of the building allowed the city to locate the parking area so that an elevated terror threat would not impact public parking.
The new baggage screening technology is a challenge for airports with no place to put screening systems except in ticket areas. Newly built terminals such as Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport have the advantage of a space that is specifically designed for in-line screening systems.
In-line screening is the best method for accomplishing this task. It has no impact to the traveling public as the screening of the bag occurs after the bag has been checked at the airline ticket counter.
The Killeen terminal includes baggage-handling conveyors that circulate bags from ticket counters to a common explosive-detection device and then to a bag-claim carousel where individual airlines claim the luggage to be carried on their flights.
With the creation of the TSA and its new responsibility for airport security comes the need to provide space for its staff to interview suspicious persons, search baggage, conduct administrative duties--even store weapons.
When the Killeen terminal was in design, no programming guidelines were available for this space. Carter & Burgess did its homework, interviewing the security staff at DFW International Airport and researching the requirements of U.S. Customs as well as other countries such as Israel.
The result was the inclusion of an additional 10,000 ft. of interior space, which includes three holding cells, a containment room (a specially designed blast-resistant space), an armory, kennels for bomb-sniffing dogs, a conference/break room and office/administrative space.
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