Steel Structure Practice for Northern Shaanxi Aviation Hub

Yulin Yuyang Airport is located in Yuyang District, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. It is a 4D civil transport airport and the second largest airport in Shaanxi Province. The airport was officially opened to navigation in 2008. With the rapid economic development of northern Shaanxi, the original T1 terminal, which was designed for an annual passenger throughput of 350,000, soon reached full capacity, triggering the launch of the Phase II expansion project.

Project Overview

The Phase II Expansion Project of Yulin Yuyang Airport is a key project designated by the governments of Shaanxi Province and Yulin City. The newly built T2 terminal covers a total construction area of approximately 42,500 square meters, four times that of the T1 terminal. It is equipped with 24 check-in counters and 8 boarding bridges, designed to meet an annual passenger throughput of 5 million. The main building of T2 terminal has a width of 172.2 meters and a depth of 93.2 meters. The concourse is 162 meters long and 33 meters wide. The eave height of the building is 28 meters, with seismic fortification intensity of 6 degrees and a design service life of 100 years. The structural system of T2 terminal adopts frame structure plus beam string roof structure. The lower main body of the terminal is reinforced concrete frame, while the roof adopts prestressed beam string system. The roof of T2 terminal is supported by 74 tree-shaped columns. As a common structural form in terminal buildings, tree-shaped columns branch upward to form crown-shaped supporting points. They not only transfer roof loads, but also deliver expressive structural aesthetics for interior space. The total steel consumption of the project is around 5,400 tons. The steel structure work of this project was undertaken by Jinggong Steel Structure and won the China Steel Structure Gold Award. T2 terminal was officially put into operation on September 30, 2020, and all airport flights were transferred to the new terminal.

Project Significance

Yulin Yuyang Airport is an important regional aviation hub in Northwest China. In 2023, its annual passenger throughput exceeded 2 million, making it the first regional airport in Northwest China to hit this milestone. After the completion of Phase II expansion, the airport’s support capacity has been greatly improved, ranking among the leading regional airports in Northwest China.

For Eihe Steel Structure, the Yulin Airport project represents the company’s early practice in airport terminal steel structure construction. Located in the energy-rich area of northern Shaanxi, the project faced the practical challenge of long-distance transportation of steel components at that time. The project team delivered the components by utilizing coal transport vehicles, accumulating valuable experience for undertaking more airport and large public building projects in the future.