Raleigh-Durham - North Carolina

The use of an efficient proprietary German connection system, combined with connection details requiring simple cuts are key in meeting the budget on innovative long span roof trusses.

Equilibrium Consulting Inc. was retained by the glulam supplier to re-engineer the roof truss connections in order to meet the budget.  Equilibrium’s re-design saved approximately $1.5 million on a $7.0 million budget.

When completed, Terminal C at Raleigh-Durham International Airport will create a new 860,000-square-foot facility. Major features will include a north concourse, expanded ticketing and security checkpoint areas, and a new federal inspection facility for the processing of international flights.

The structural design is considered highly innovative and unique in the United States. To achieve the appearance the architects were seeking, a hybrid structural system was created featuring long-span trusses built of glue-laminated timber members with steel sections. The combination of glue laminate, wood, steel, cables and long spans is highly unusual. Although Equilibrium was the first to use this system in North America and has used it in several projects, this is the first time it is being used on a project in the United States.

Client - Structurlam Products Inc
Architect - Fentress Bradburn Architects, Denver, CO
Budget - Overall: $235 Million - Glulam: $5.5 million
Completed - 2008