Large-scale Application Cases of Groove-shaped Aluminum Baffles in Airport Terminals

Airport terminals are typical large-span, large-space public buildings, floor height is usually 8-15 meters, ceiling area is tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of square meters, requirements for ceiling materials are very high, not only good decorative effect, but also meet multiple requirements such as fire protection, sound absorption, maintenance, weight, installation speed. Groove-shaped aluminum baffles have become the first choice for airport terminal ceilings because of their high structural strength, convenient installation, and atmospheric decorative effect. More than 90% of newly built airport terminals in China adopt groove-shaped aluminum baffle ceilings.

Core advantages of groove-shaped aluminum baffles suitable for airport terminals. First is large-span adaptability, airport floor height is very high, there is usually 2-5 meters space between ceiling and structural top plate, need to install a large number of pipelines, ventilation, fire protection, lighting equipment, groove-shaped aluminum baffles are open ceilings, no need to close, upper equipment is clear at a glance, maintenance is very convenient, no need to remove ceiling, any equipment can be directly operated in baffle gaps, which is very important for equipment-intensive airports; second is high structural strength, groove-shaped baffle section is closed groove type, strength is more than 30% higher than U-shaped baffles, suitable for large specification, large spacing installation, space above 10 meters floor height, usually use large specification groove-shaped baffles with bottom width 80-150mm, height 150-300mm, spacing 200-300mm, visual effect is atmospheric, in line with airport space scale; third is good sound absorption effect, airport has large passenger flow, many broadcast systems, long reverberation time will affect broadcast clarity, sound-absorbing cotton laid on the upper part of groove-shaped baffles, noise reduction coefficient NRC can reach more than 0.8, effectively control large space reverberation time, ensure clear broadcast, which is very important for airport safe operation; fourth is light weight, large specification groove-shaped baffles weigh only 5-8kg per square meter, much lighter than aluminum veneer, aluminum grille, low structural load requirements, suitable for large-span steel structure airport terminals; fifth is fast installation, groove-shaped baffles are factory prefabricated, on-site buckle installation, skilled workers can install more than 100 square meters a day, tens of thousands of square meters of ceiling can be completed in a few months, meeting airport tight construction period requirements; sixth is Class A fire protection, meeting airport strict fire protection requirements; seventh is good durability, fluorocarbon sprayed groove-shaped baffles have service life of more than 20 years, no need for frequent replacement, low maintenance cost, suitable for high-traffic public buildings such as airports.

Typical case 1: Beijing Daxing International Airport Terminal. Daxing Airport is one of the largest airport terminals in the world at present, ceiling area exceeds 400,000 square meters, most public areas adopt groove-shaped aluminum baffle ceilings. The designer chose white fluorocarbon sprayed groove-shaped aluminum baffles with bottom width 120mm, height 200mm, thickness 1.2mm, spacing 250mm, arranged along the radial structure of the terminal, radiating from center to around, perfectly echoing the building's phoenix shape. 50mm thick Class A glass wool is laid on the upper part of baffles, effectively controlling large space reverberation time, ensuring clear broadcast even during peak passenger flow. To match the curve shape of the terminal, a large number of baffles are bent with different radians, the longest single baffle reaches 12 meters, adopting CNC stretch bending, accurate radian, smooth lines. The entire ceiling system integrates linear lights, fire sprinklers, smoke detectors, broadcasts, monitoring and other equipment, all equipment are hidden in baffle gaps, the overall ceiling is simple and atmospheric, won unanimous praise from the construction industry.

Typical case 2: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport Terminal 3. T3 terminal ceiling adopts iconic white groove-shaped aluminum baffles, designed as honeycomb shape, baffles are arranged at different heights and angles, forming changing visual effect, becoming the iconic design of the terminal. Baffle specification is bottom width 100mm, height 180mm, thickness 1.0mm, fluorocarbon spraying, sound-absorbing cotton laid on the upper part, not only meeting sound absorption requirements, but also realizing unique decorative effect. For the airport seaside high salt spray environment, all aluminum baffles adopt high weather-resistant fluorocarbon spraying, passed 3000 hours salt spray test, ensuring no corrosion and no fading for 15 years.

Typical case 3: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Terminal 2. Check-in hall and waiting hall of T2 terminal adopt light gray groove-shaped aluminum baffle ceilings, baffles are arranged along passenger flow direction, guiding passenger streamline, specification is bottom width 80mm, height 150mm, thickness 1.0mm, spacing 200mm, sound-absorbing cotton laid on the upper part. For convenient maintenance, baffles adopt detachable buckle installation, any single baffle can be detached independently without special tools, airport operator can easily maintain upper equipment. For Guangzhou high temperature and high humidity climate, anti-condensation treatment is done on the back of baffles to avoid condensation and dripping in spring.

Design and construction experience of groove-shaped aluminum baffles for airport terminals. First is specification selection, choose baffle specification according to floor height, below 8 meters floor height use 80*150mm, 8-12 meters floor height use 100*200mm, above 12 meters floor height use 150*300mm, thickness 1.0-1.5mm, spacing is 1-1.5 times baffle height, proportion is most coordinated; second is surface treatment, airport has large passenger flow, complex environment, priority choose fluorocarbon spraying or super weather-resistant powder to ensure service life, color is mainly white, light gray, making space look open and bright; third is sound absorption design, must lay 50mm thick 32kg/m³ Class A non-combustible glass wool, wrapped with glass fiber cloth, don't use non-woven fabric to ensure fire protection and sound absorption effect; fourth is equipment integration, cooperate with electromechanical, fire protection, weak current and other majors at design stage, integrate all equipment in baffle gaps, don't open holes later to damage ceiling; fifth is installation accuracy, airport area is large, pull through line during installation, make a control point every 10 meters to ensure baffles are straight, joints are even, long-distance installation accumulation error should be controlled within 5mm; sixth is expansion joint treatment, large area aluminum baffle ceiling should set expansion joints, one every 30 meters, avoid temperature change leading to baffle deformation and arching; seventh is finished product protection, airport has many construction units, cross operation is many, installed baffles should be pasted with protective film to avoid pollution and scratching, tear film before completion acceptance.

The large-scale application of groove-shaped aluminum baffles in airport terminals fully proves their advantages in large-space public buildings. Now high-speed railway stations, convention and exhibition centers, stadiums and other large-space buildings also widely use groove-shaped aluminum baffle ceilings, becoming mainstream material for large-space ceilings. In the future, with the development of building technology, groove-shaped aluminum baffles will be applied in more large public buildings.