LYON-SATOLAS

RAILWAY AND AIRPORT

STATION
SANTIAGO CALATRAVA
1994
OVERVIEW
• Lyon-Satolas Airport (now Saint Exupéry) Railway Station
• Lyon, France
• Built between 1989-1994
• Cost: 750 million Francs (roughly 146 million USD)
• Architect: Santiago Calatrava
• Collaborators: Alexis Burret, Sebastien Mernet, David Long, L.
Burr
OVERVIEW: DESIGN SPECS
• Main span: 100 meters
• Width: 100 meters
• Height: 39 meters
• Total Length: 450 meters (including railway cover)
• Area: 5,600 square meters
• The 1,300 ton steel roof of the main hall measures 120x100
meters
OVERVIEW
•Terminal for the TGV trains (high-speed trains)
connecting the airport to the city of Lyon, which is 30 km
to the south

•An addition to the airport built to serve TGV trains on

the LGV Rhône-Alpes

• The Lyon region is located in Alps, in the mid-southeastern portion of France.

• The main hall accommodates ticket offices, retail shops, restaurant facilities and access to
and from the airport via a 180 meter long gallery.

• The station has six tracks. The two central tracks are isolated to permit trains to pass through
the station at a full speed of 300 kilometers per hour.

• Above the tracks, a 300 meter long passenger concourse allows for easy access to the
platforms.
 CONCEPT
The concept of the Lyon-Satolas airport
railway station is dynamics, on the other
hand, is variability and surprise;
apparently chaos but microscopically
ordered; organic metamorphosis.
(Climent, 1994; 14)

Form is inspired by human eye and some

components have beautiful streamline of
human body, moreover, plan and elevation
are related to proportions of the human body Figure 1.1 Original concept sketch by SantiagoCalatrava

Figure 1.3 sketch of overall form and shape which shows the solar
heat gain Figure 1.2 Original concept sketch by SantiagoCalatrava

3
The station is widely thought of as a symbol of a bird, fitting to the theme of flight at
the airport.
However, this is the inspiration for Calatrava. This sketch of his human eye
sculpture illustrates the profile that he wanted to achieve with the rail station.
SITE PLAN
• 3 major transportation programs converge
• Airport, high speed rail station, and automobile parking

• Programs facilitated by unique “transition terminals”

• Planometric geometries
• Plane- Large, radial arching terminals
• Train- Linear platforms
• Automobile- Looping pickup/drop-off areas

• Unified by dramatic main entry gallery/station

FEATURES
•The expressiveness of Calatrava's structure is seen inside the
building as much as outside with two large cantilevered balconies
that penetrate the interior space.
FEATURES: RAILWAY COVER
•The station is positioned astride the reinforced concrete railway
cover. This adjoining concrete service building is fitted with a steel
and glass curtain wall overlooking the main hall.
FEATURES: RAILWAY COVER
•Built with a dense network of white concrete beams and
rhomboid-shaped glass skylights, this structure covers more than
half a kilometer of the six railways.
 FEATURES: RAILWAY COVER
• The ribs of the ceiling rest on inclined pillars that bifurcate.

•Its ceiling is transversely crossed by the large

triangular-shaped floor of the station.

•Because of the density of the

concrete beam network and its
longitudinal character, the railway
cover resembles a tunnel lit by
natural light.
RAILWAY COVER
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

• Majority reinforced concrete

• Entirely rigid frame
• Hybrid space frame/lamella cylinder
roof structure
RAILWAY COVER
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
• Space frame vertical elements
• Connect diagonally vaulted arches to
foundation.
• Exterior: diagonal concrete piers
• “Y” Shaped ends
• Interior: concrete bay system
• “X” Shaped ends

• Lamella cylinder (shell) roof

• Diagonally vaulted arches support roof
• Precast concrete roof slabs span most of the lozenges
• Alternating lozenges are spanned by vaulted glass
supported by aluminum mullions
RAILWAY COVER
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
RAILWAY COVER
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
RAILWAY COVER
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
RAILWAY COVER
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
GALLERY STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM Existing Site
GALLERY STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM Floor Span
GALLERY STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM Steel Tubing
GALLERY STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM Inner Steel Tubes
GALLERY STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM Skylight Structure | Concrete Cover
GALLERY STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM Wing Structure | Finished Element
The rigid linear components of lyon Satolas airport railway station is design to tie the
light entryway into the building. Steel and glazing are used to achieve a sense of
MATERIAL
openness and lightness for the building

Structural steel have a carbon content within the range

0.16-0.25%. It attributes the compressive strength as well
as tensile strength. It is tough, stiff and ductile. It is
commonly used in supporting building, Lyon Satolas is one
of an examples, which the outer curved beams are
constructed by structural steel and supporting the 40
meter tall skeleton structure itself.

Tempered glass is up to four or five times harder than

standard annealed glass. As it has been gone through the
tempering process at approximately 650’c, the outer
surface is set to be in compression while the inner surfaces
is set to be in tension. It helped Lyon Satolas Airport
railway station resist the lateral loads.

12
Reinforce concrete is the concrete which reinforcing with
additional assistance, support or material such as rebar and
steel. Concrete is strong in compression. By adding the
rebar, it increased the tensile strength which make the
concrete achieve the balance between tension and
compression in order to resist the applied loads. Space
frame vertical elements Adjoining concrete service building
of Lyon Satolas are constructed with reinforce concrete to
support the skeleton structure of main hall and resists the
momentum created by trains

Precast concrete roof slabs span most of the lozenges of

the adjoining concrete service building. The precast
concrete is a type of concrete which manufactured in
factory by casting concrete in mould that is durable and
able to reuse. Fine aggregates are used in the mixture, so
the final product has the appearance of naturally. The
speed of installation is depends on the excavation, but It is
easy to install even though it is heavy

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LOAD TRACING DIAGRAM
Gravity Loads
 ORTHOGRAPHIC
DRAWINGS

Front elevation

Cross Section

SOURCE ; http://faculty.arch.tamu.edu/media/cms_page_media/4433/LyonSatolasStation.pdf 5
 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
GRAVITY LOAD AND INERTIA

In section of main hall (Figure 2.1), skeletal

structure is bent, it has gravity load acting
towards ground. Its inertia resist it from being
moved and tend to return to its original shape,
reflexive momentum or the upward force in every
truss opposes the downward forces. Main span of
100 metres provides tensile forces to hold the
body down. Also, the spine transfers gravity load
Figure 2.1 main hall
from the 1300 ton steel roof to the ground.

In section of the adjoining concrete service

building (Figure 2.2), columns play the transfer
gravity load of the bent roof structure to the
ground. Convergence of two rows of columns at
the middle in Y-shape provide stronger strength
to the columns as it spreads the load to two
components at right angle to each other.
Figure 2.2 adjoining concrete service building

Gravity forces Tension

Transfer of gravity loads to ground Inertia

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 SHEAR LOAD

Shear force is the force is the force that causes

two parallel surface to slide across each other.
Figure 2.3 middle structure of roof’s shear diagram There are two forces acting in opposite
direction, causing the cross section of the
surface to distort to a parallelogram.

Maximum shear happens at both ends but in

opposite direction thus a linear diagram is
obtained. Maximum shear force experienced
by particular surface is at two ends of surface.
Figure 2.4 structure of cantilever roof’s shear diagram Thus, there are cross-bracing at every interval
of the spine to resist the strong shear force at
jointing.

Figure 2.5 adjoining concrete service building’s shear diagram

Shear load
7
 AXIAL LOAD

Axial force is the force acts perpendicular to the

surface of a material, causing it to deform.
Degree of deformation can be observed in the
displacement or change in length and area of
Figure 2.6 middle structure of roof’s axial loading diagram cross section. The larger the displacement the
larger the strain, the larger the force, the larger
the stress.

The use of large amount of trusses and bracing

Figure 2.7 structure of cantilever roof’s axial loading diagram
and columns is crucial that it spreads load in
different direction. When load is transmitted and
not concentrated, tendency of deformation of
components is lowered.

Figure 2.8 adjoining concrete service building’s axial loading diagram

Axial load 8
 MOMENT DIAGRAM

Moment is the product of force and distance of

force from a pivot point. Maximum moment
happens at mid-span, thus parabolic curve is
obtained. Same concept is used here but unlike
shear force, moment is strongest at the middle
of two jointings. Clockwise and anticlockwise
moment is kept in equilibrium by the stiff spine
and load transfer along its span to the ground.
Figure 2.9 middle structure of roof’s moment diagram

Figure 2.10 structure of cantilever roof’s momentdiagram Figure 2.11 adjoining concrete service building’s momentdiagram

moment
9
LOAD TRACING DIAGRAM
Gravity Loads
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS:
AXIAL LOADING DIAGRAM
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS:
SHEAR DIAGRAM
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS:
MOMENT DIAGRAM
 LATERAL LOAD

Earth quake seldom happens in Lyon.

According to the site context, lateral force is
not as crucial as gravity load, moment
bending, shear and axial forces. Lateral load
in this case wind load however is taken into
design consideration.

Figure 2.12 lateral loading diagram

From the front view(figure 2.3) and (figure

2.4) section, when lateral load acts on the
structure, it is transfer from the cantilevered
roof to the ground through the 100 metres
span and from trusses to the ground. In this
way, the structure is able to stay still without
wobbling, and overturning.

Figure 2.13 lateral loading diagram

1
0
 JOINT ANALYSIS

Pinned joint is used for the skeleton

structure of main hall. Pinned joint create a
clamping force across the joint which is able
to sustain the operating conditions without
loosening.

Figure 3.1 joint along the skeletonstructure

Base plate

Top of concrete foundation

Beddingspace

Equivalent or Location tube

Holding down bolts

Anchor plates

Figure 3.2 column base diagram 11

LATERAL LOADING
• Lateral loading is not an extreme design concern.
•France is part of the Eurasian tectonic plate and is not along a
major fault line. Lyon is not noted for its Earthquake activity as it
seldom suffers from large-scale quakes.
•Seismic loading is negligible, but not totally absent. It is rare for
Lyon, France to experience earthquakes that cause significant
damage.
•The climate of the region is subject to cold winds from the Alps
and warm breezes from the Mediterranean. There is moderate
precipitation year round and no extreme wind or snow loads.
LATERAL LOAD RESISTING
SYSTEM
•Lateral loads are applied to the face of the glazing and create a
high pressure region between the glazing system and the
cantilevered roof portion.

• The high pressure region causes uplift and an overturning

moment about the base of the cantilevered roof portion.

•The four cross-braced steel arches and the the exterior trusses
resist the lateral load and overturning moment about the base of
the façade.
LATERAL LOAD RESISTING
SYSTEM
LOAD TRACING DIAGRAM
Lateral Loads
LOAD TRACING DIAGRAM
Lateral (wind) loads
LATERAL LOAD RESISTING
SYSTEM
SOIL AND FOUNDATION
• The soil in this area is generally granite with a mixture of shingle
with clay and layered stones on the hillsides.
• This soil condition is stable to support the structure and allows
the foundation to be relatively simple.
• The foundation system used is isolated concrete spread
footings.
•The front concrete housing of the main steel arches (the “beak”)
has a modified pad footing with a saw-tooth base
COMPOSITE
CONNECTIONS
•The Main Lobby is primarily a steel structure composed of four
arches which are connected to an isolated reinforced concrete
foundation
•The outer steel arches are connected to the foundation through a
concrete housing
•The inner steel arches are supported by concrete shear walls on
one side and a housing on the other.
• Exposed structural steel members are cased with concrete as
they join the foundation or floor of the structure.
• Concrete casing at the joints makes the structure rigid.
COMPOSITE
CONNECTIONS
COMPOSITE
CONNECTIONS
COMPOSITE
CONNECTIONS
COMPOSITE
CONNECTIONS