Lecturer Stjepan Crnoja, Struktura Engineering Ltd.
At the conference Baldinistudio Open Event 2025, Stjepan Crnoja from the company Struktura Engineering LLC. He presented the steel structure project for the new building. Zadar Airport, one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Dalmatia.
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About the project
Zadar Airport is undergoing a multi-year modernization and expansion process, which will increase its capacity to over 2.5 million passengers annually.
The project is being carried out in four phases, with the airport remaining operational at all times—one of the biggest challenges for the design team.
Architectural project signed by Biro Kužmanić, while numerous partners are engaged in steel structures, including the team Structural Engineering, who is in charge of designing the steel load-bearing structure.
Construction concept
The roof structure consists of steel girders hexagonal grid.
Such holders enable:
- installation passage through construction,
- reduced material consumption with increased load capacity,
- attractive architectural look that architects gladly choose for modern buildings.
The construction relies on space steel columns tube-shaped which will also serve as lighthouses. The entire structure will encompass more than 215,278.21 sq ft with a roof at a height of about 12 meters.
Software solutions in budgeting
For static analyses and structural checks, the following tools were used:
- SCIA Engineer – for calculations and stabilization of the structure, including horizontal and vertical bracing,
- IDEA StatiCa – for nonlinear analyses and detailed checks of joints and elements with openings.
Special attention is paid to lateral torsional buckling i GMNIA analysis (Geometric and materially nonlinear analysis with imperfections) which enables realistic simulation of the behavior of steel beams under load.
Challenges and Solutions
The biggest challenges were:
- uninterrupted traffic flow,
- complex connections between elements,
- Transport and installation of elements up to 30 meters in length.
Thanks to the combination SCIA Engineer i IDEA StatiCa The software, the construction is optimized, and the connections are precisely calculated and verified according to Eurocode.
Joint modeling method CB-FEM This enabled precise insight into the behavior of each bolt, plate, and weld, resulting in a safe and effective solution.
Conclusion
The Zadar Airport project is an example of how digital tools and BIM technology enable Design of high-precision complex structures with complete control at all stages — from concept to execution.
Struktura Inženjering and Baldinistudio, through this project, demonstrate how modern engineering practice connects knowledge, experience, and technology to create the infrastructure of the future.
