Balfour Beatty, as part of the LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS Constructors) joint venture, has placed four steel trusses to start construction of an elevated pedestrian walkway that will eventually connect Terminal 4 to the APM station in the West Central Terminal Area (CTA).
Over the course of four mornings, partially prefabricated steel trusses, ranging in weight from about 27,200kg to more than 45,300kg, were transported to the LAX terminal area and then assembled and lifted into place with a 350-ton crane. The segments were welded together while supported over the roadway by a shoring tower. The installation of floor and roof beams has now begun, which will complete the erection of structural steel for the pedestrian walkway. In total, six bridges will be installed.
Specific engineering and aesthetic design requirements led to the selection of a Vierendeel Truss design. A Vierendeel Truss is constructed out of horizontal and vertical support elements, eliminating the need for diagonal supports.
Once all of the structural steel was in place, a suspended scaffolding system was installed to facilitate placement of the concrete floor and the installation of metal panels and glazing. This eliminated the need for traditional scaffolding that would need to be staged in the roadway. By installing the suspended scaffolding in sections, work can progress on one section at a time, resulting in less impact in terms of lane closures in the busy terminal area.
“As part of the LINXS Constructors joint venture team, Balfour Beatty is proud to celebrate the placement of the first pedestrian bridge on the LAX Automated People Mover project,” said Brian Cahill, Balfour Beatty president in California. “This milestone achievement demonstrates our team’s ability to execute complex activities in a very confined and congested environment, with safety as our number one priority. We look forward to continuing our work and fulfilling our client’s goal of providing a seamless transportation solution for travellers from across the world.”
“The start of construction of this pedestrian walkway follows a tremendous amount of enabling work, planning and coordination,” said Sharon Gookin, project director at LINXS Constructors. “Having these steel trusses in place serves as a meaningful milestone for the APM project and a testament to the continued efforts of the APM team to bring the vision of a transformed LAX to fruition.”
The APM is the centrepiece of LAWA’s Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP). It is a 2.25-mile electric train system that will transport travellers in and out of the CTA, connecting them to new off-site parking facilities, regional light rail transportation and a consolidated rent-a-car facility.
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