Ezeiza International Airport (Argentina)

The airport system of Buenos Aires – which serves an inhabited area of over 13 million people – consists of the airport of Aeroparque, where national and middle distance flights are based, and the international airport of Ezeiza which serves the long-distance intercontinental traffic.

Since the former has reached its maximum capacity (with 7.1 million pax/year) and cannot be enlarged owing to its inner city location, the need has arisen to plan the development of Ezeiza airport which is located some 32 km south-west of the capital.

Traffic studies and analyses were carried out to quantify the future traffic demand for three time horizons (2005, 2015 and 2028), considering various alternative scenarios of moving traffic from Aeroparque to Ezeiza.

The passenger traffic at Ezeiza is expected to increase from the present 6.2 million/year to 22 million in 2015 and over 38 million in 2028, with an increase in annual plane movements form the present 64,500 to some 240,000 in 2015 and almost 370,000 in 2028.

In particular, the study defined the urgent short-term works needed to modify the existing terminal, examined the possible alternatives for the location of a third runway, and selected the layout for the new passenger and cargo terminals, as well as the new control tower and the extension of the fuel depot.

The preliminary design considered all the operative areas of the airport, both “land-side” and “air-side”, developing the organization of the individual functional blocks (arrivals and departures concourse, cargo storage areas, parking facilities, etc.) and of the service areas assigned to the utility plants, especially the electrical, air-conditioning and fuelling installations (apron side). 

In particular, the plants foreseen in the design include:

• Visual aids;
• Apron lighting;
• Fuel supply (H.R.S.);
• Electric power supply at 400 Hz;
• Air-conditioning system;
• Compressed air system for aeroplane starting;
• Potable water supply;
• Sewerage system

The first phase included the analysis of the existing plants in each sector and the identification of the best solution for the airport of Buenos Aires. The second phase concerned the preparation of the preliminary designs of each network, including technical reports and drawings.

With regards airport accessibility, the consulting services included:

• a study of the present and foreseen future traffic and service level of the existing road infrastructures, 
• a comparative evaluation of the various alternative ways of connecting the airport to the city of Buenos Aires by mass transport systems (metro extension, branch lines from two different existing adjacent railway lines, new fast dedicated automated people-mover, etc), and preliminary indications as to the most suitable solutions

The works foreseen in the Master Plan include, besides the extension of the present terminal and apron, and the construction of a new runway and subsequently a whole new terminal, also the construction of a new control tower.

The new Control Tower, which is 74 m high, includes a technical-administrative block of about 1000 m2 at the base of the tower.

The construction of the new runway involves significant environmental and physical constraints related to the presence of the Rio Matanza. The study therefore also included an in-depth examination of the hydraulic and hydrological aspects of the project area. 

With regard to the new runway parallel to the existing runway 11-29, the activities included:

• Definition of the best position of the runway from the topographic, geotechnical, hydraulic and operating points of view;
• Preparation of the technical specifications necessary for the execution of a geological-geotechnical campaign;
• Preliminary studies to define the horizontal layout of the new runway (length, geometry of the taxiway alongside and of the exit routes, geometry of the ends of the runway);
• Definition of the longitudinal profile and the typical cross sections;
• Identification of the audio-visual aids;
• Identification of the reclamation and hydraulic works relating to water courses in the area of the new runway;
• Definition of the storm water drainage network;
• Drawing up of an Investment plan