In large scale construction, good organization and quality control of the design data is needed. In Athens’ new airport “El. Venizelos”, in collaboration with the German company Hochtief, the new Greek Seismic Code (1995) was applied. The Code requires the application of dynamic analysis and capacity design. Dumpers were used to restrain the movement of metal roofs under earthquake. In the constructed buildings (of dimensions about 50x70m) prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs were used filled in situ with concrete. Seismic force is mainly undertaken by cores of dimensions 8x14m. Plate diaphragms were designed to carry the horizontal loads due to the special construction method. In the area of the cores special solutions were required. The blocking of horizontal movement of the cores at the levels of the basements was an additional problem, due to high horizontal forces. The buildings consist of extensive underground and ground-level etages and comparative smaller superstructures (platform-tower). Special attention was demanded in the detailing of the reinforcement of the cores.

A metal roof of dimensions 60x60m constructed by trichord trusses was placed between four buildings (which are separated by expansion joints). The roof is supported on four inner  columns and along the perimeter on the four concrete buildings. Differential displacement between roof and buildings has been reduced by the use of hydraulic dampers. The quality control of the construction drawings was electronically organized in collaboration with the German partners. CUBUS offered its assistance by adjusting its calculation and design software and programming special modifications on the databases. The huge amount of data in conjunction with high quality standards and time pressure demanded perfectly organized electronic management.

Ten years before, we had been involved in similar problems while designing the ΟΑΚΑ Olympic Swimming Center and Olympic Velodrom. Given the lack of adequate electronic management means at that time, high automation on the quality control process of the construction drawings was not possible. Therefore, hundreds of working hours had to be spend.

A new technology for precast formworks, made by high performance fiber-reinforced concrete, has been applied for the shell structures of the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman. Very slender shell sectors have been designed under in situ concrete loadings for various temporary support conditions. The tensile strength of HPC due to the fibers assured feasible and qualitative solution to this special problem.