A helipad is an essential feature in restaurant towers, serving as a landing and takeoff area for helicopters during ceremonies, emergencies, or rescue operations. Additionally, it can be repurposed as a sports playground for activities like badminton or volleyball.
Integrating a helipad into a restaurant tower enhances safety measures, akin to an emergency staircase. However, Pasargad Company has gone a step further by leveraging famous examples and their creative engineers to design additional applications. By introducing special uses, the company has significantly increased the revenue potential of each restaurant tower component. For instance, utilizing the helipad space for sports and ceremonial purposes, in addition to its primary function, can further boost revenue streams.
Certainly, the necessity of installing a helipad and its dimensions are directly dependent on the firefighting regulations in the city. Before making any decisions, it is imperative to obtain all the necessary instructions and permits from the relevant authorities.
Helipad atop a restaurant tower
Utilizing a helipad as a tennis court, ping pong arena, and boxing ring in one of the world’s most renowned towers.
What is heliport?
A heliport is an area, either on land or a structure, that is fully or partially designated for the landing and takeoff of helicopters.
Types of heliports include surface heliports, elevated heliports, helidecks, shipboard heliports, and helipads.
A heliport can consist of one or more landing areas, each of which is referred to as a helipad.
Examples of helipads situated atop tall towers
Heliport structure
This structure can be constructed using various materials, including steel, concrete, aluminum, or a combination of these materials. Presently, it is often fabricated as space structures or as a hybrid of concrete and steel frameworks, with the latter method being more prevalent. The minimum thickness of the concrete slab for such structures is 6 centimeters.
Conceptual design of materials used in helipad construction
Helicopter pad design
A helipad serves as a designated area for the landing and takeoff of helicopters on tall buildings and towers.
In urban areas where buildings exceed 45 meters in height, the design and construction of a helipad are mandatory. However, other buildings may also opt to voluntarily install a helipad.
Images of helicopters landing and taking off from helipads atop tall towers.
The requirements for such structures primarily comprise two components: Regulatory Compliance and Urban Planning Guidelines. The former includes Instruction NO. 4314 issued by the National Aviation Organization, while the latter encompasses urban planning standards dictating the dimensions and layout of the helicopter placement area, as well as loading and calculation criteria, some of which will be outlined below.
1. The minimum weight requirement for helicopters (in Tehran) is set at 90 kilonewtons.
2. The helicopter landing area should be circular with a minimum diameter of 18 meters. Additionally, a safety barrier with a width of at least 1.5 meters must be incorporated around the perimeter.
Note: If there is a truss surrounding the helipad, there should be a clearance of 2 meters from the edge of the helipad, with a slope ratio of 1:2.
Images showcasing various sections of a helipad
In addition to Article 6 of the National Building Code, several loading regulations must be observed:
For helicopters with a weight exceeding 14 kilonewtons, a uniformly distributed live load of 3 kilonewtons per square meter should be applied independently for structural calculations and verification.
In concrete structures (designed using the ultimate limit state method), the helicopter load factor in the first combination should be taken as 1.66.
In steel structures (designed using the ultimate resistance method), the helicopter load factor in the second combination should be taken as 1.66.
Aria Gostar Pasargad Khavaran Company is prepared to collaborate with esteemed investors like you in compliance with the regulations and standards for constructing the most modern structures in Iran. Our services include:
Construction of helipad
Obtaining approval from the National Aviation Organization
Confirmation of building strength
Provision of technical specifications and calculation booklet
Guidance on acquiring post-construction municipal permits
Obtaining helipad completion permits
Provision of a calculation book
3D visualization of the helipad perimeter and its exit
Offering advisory services, design expertise, and supervision for the development of emergency, commercial, and hospital helipads, including:
Reviewing and assembling the necessary documents and forms for the design process.
Evaluating the structural documentation, considering both static and dynamic loads, in accordance with the calculations provided by the employer’s structural engineer. Offering feedback and suggestions for corrective actions, as well as reviewing any proposed corrective plans.
Verifying the technical specifications of the helipad surface, including the type of covering and surface slope, in line with helicopter design requirements and initial pad designs.
Assessing flight safety levels and ensuring no recent constructions obstruct the designated airspace.
Inspecting access routes to the helipad and emergency exits to guarantee clear and unobstructed pathways.
Specifying rainwater drainage requirements for the helipad.
Implementing safety measures such as safety nets and perimeter security.
Detailing the specifications for the fire suppression system.
Defining the specifications for the lighting system, covering ambient lighting, helipad surface illumination, and obstacle warning lights.
Providing specifications for the wind measuring system, including analog equipment, and determining optimal installation locations.
Reviewing the specifications and design of the lightning protection system for the project and assessing any potential obstructions.
Outlining specifications for painting the helipad surface.
Aria Gostar Pasargad Khavaran Company offers expert consulting services to advise employers on various project designs and implementation models.
Pasargad Company stands at the forefront of the industry, specializing in the design, structural calculations, construction, and implementation of helipads within restaurant towers. Our approach hinges on engineering expertise and adherence to global standards.
Here is a video demonstrating a helicopter landing on the helipad located atop the restaurant tower.
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