Located in Xifeng, Liaoning Province, China, this project is a steel structure radar tower developed to support radar monitoring equipment, maintenance platforms, cable routing, and long-term outdoor operation in a cold-region environment.
Unlike a standard industrial steel building, a radar tower places higher requirements on structural stability, wind resistance, platform stiffness, equipment interface accuracy, vibration control, corrosion protection, and safe maintenance access. The structure must not only support the radar equipment safely, but also maintain reliable service performance under wind load, temperature variation, snow exposure, and long-term outdoor conditions.
To meet these requirements, the project adopted a braced steel tower structure with optimized vertical load transfer, lateral bracing arrangement, equipment platform coordination, and anti-corrosion protection. The design focused on structural safety, installation accuracy, maintenance convenience, and stable operation of radar equipment.
The steel tower system provided a reliable elevated platform for radar equipment installation while ensuring sufficient stiffness, clear maintenance access, and practical fabrication and erection efficiency.
| Item | Technical Data |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Xifeng Steel Structure Radar Tower Project |
| Country | China |
| Location | Xifeng, Liaoning Province |
| Project Type | Steel Radar Tower / Equipment Support Tower / Monitoring Structure |
| Main Application | Radar equipment support, monitoring operation, maintenance access, cable routing and auxiliary equipment installation |
| Structural System | Braced steel tower structure with equipment platform |
| Main Structure Type | Steel columns, diagonal bracing, platform beams, equipment support frame and access system |
| Tower Height | Approx. 30–45 m / project-specific design |
| Main Platform Level | Designed according to radar equipment elevation and operating requirements |
| Equipment Platform | Steel platform with grating or checkered plate, guardrails and access ladder/stair system |
| Main Steel Grade | Q355 structural steel |
| Secondary Steel Grade | Q235 structural steel |
| Member Type | H-section steel, circular tubes, square tubes, angle steel, connection plates and platform components |
| Connection Method | Bolted site assembly with welded shop-fabricated components |
| Bolt Grade | 10.9S high-strength bolts / 8.8 ordinary bolts according to connection requirements |
| Surface Treatment | Shot blasting + anti-corrosion coating system / hot-dip galvanizing where applicable |
| Target Environment | Outdoor environment in Northeast China, with wind, snow, temperature variation and freeze-thaw exposure |
| Main Design Considerations | Wind load, seismic action, equipment load, platform live load, serviceability, vibration response and maintenance safety |
| Fabrication Period | Approx. 25–40 days, depending on final tower height and component quantity |
| On-site Erection Period | Approx. 20–35 days, depending on lifting conditions and site access |
| Project Completion | China project case |
The main design objective was to provide a stable elevated steel support structure for radar equipment operation.
Radar tower structures are different from ordinary building frames. Their height-to-width ratio is larger, the exposed wind area is more sensitive, and the equipment installed at the upper platform may have strict requirements for levelness, vibration control, and serviceability.
For this project, the tower adopted a braced steel structure system. Vertical members were used to transfer gravity loads to the foundation, while diagonal bracing members formed a stable lateral force-resisting system. This arrangement helped improve global stiffness, reduce lateral displacement, and control torsional response under wind load.
The radar equipment platform was designed as a key structural zone. Its beams, bracing, connection plates, and local stiffeners were coordinated according to the equipment base, maintenance clearance, cable routing, and installation sequence. The platform was not treated as a simple walking area, but as a structural interface supporting equipment operation and long-term maintenance.
Compared with a reinforced concrete tower or a heavy enclosed structure, the steel tower solution provided lighter self-weight, faster fabrication, easier transportation, more flexible site erection, and better adaptability for equipment interface adjustment.
The project was designed and executed according to applicable Chinese national standards for steel structures, load calculation, welding, fabrication, and construction quality acceptance.
The main applicable standards included:
| Standard | Application |
|---|---|
| GB 50017-2017 | Standard for Design of Steel Structures |
| GB 50009-2012 | Load Code for the Design of Building Structures |
| GB 50011-2010 | Code for Seismic Design of Buildings |
| GB 50205-2020 | Standard for Acceptance of Construction Quality of Steel Structures |
| GB 50661-2011 | Code for Welding of Steel Structures |
| GB/T 1591-2018 | High Strength Low Alloy Structural Steels |
| GB/T 8923.1-2011 | Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and Related Products |
| GB/T 13912 | Hot-dip galvanized coatings on fabricated steel components, where galvanizing is adopted |
For this project, the structural calculation considered dead load, platform live load, wind load, snow load, seismic action, temperature effect, radar equipment load, cable and auxiliary equipment load, construction-stage load, and local force transfer at equipment support zones.
Special attention was given to lateral stiffness, tower top displacement, platform deflection, connection reliability, serviceability under wind action, and safe maintenance access.
The main load-bearing members used Q355 structural steel, including tower columns, major bracing members, platform beams, equipment support frames, and key load-transfer components. Secondary members such as ladder supports, handrail posts, auxiliary brackets, cable supports, and local maintenance components used Q235 structural steel according to their load level and functional position.
The fabrication scope included:
Because radar tower structures are sensitive to cumulative tolerance, fabrication accuracy was an important control point. Member length, bolt-hole alignment, connection plate position, platform elevation, diagonal bracing geometry, and equipment support interface were checked before delivery.
The welding process was controlled according to GB 50661-2011 — Code for Welding of Steel Structures. Welding methods were selected according to member thickness, connection type, load-transfer requirement, and fabrication sequence.
The main welding methods included:
Quality control focused on:
For a radar tower, small deviations may affect platform levelness, equipment installation accuracy, and site assembly efficiency. Therefore, fabrication inspection and site erection planning were treated as part of the overall structural risk control process.
The project is located in Northeast China, where outdoor steel structures may face wind, snow, temperature variation, humidity, and freeze-thaw cycles. Therefore, corrosion protection was an important part of the project design.
Depending on component size, project specification, and transportation conditions, the steel members were protected by an industrial coating system or hot-dip galvanizing where applicable.
A typical anti-corrosion system included:
| Process | Technical Requirement |
|---|---|
| Surface Preparation | Shot blasting to Sa 2.5 |
| Surface Reference | GB/T 8923.1 / ISO 8501-1 equivalent preparation grade |
| Primer | Epoxy zinc-rich primer or project-specified anti-corrosion primer |
| Intermediate Coat | Epoxy intermediate coating where required |
| Top Coat | Polyurethane finish coating for outdoor exposure |
| Galvanizing Option | Hot-dip galvanizing for selected exposed or maintenance-sensitive components |
| Key Control Areas | Base connection, platform beams, bracing nodes, ladder system, handrails and equipment support zones |
For exposed nodes, tower base areas, platform members, bolt connections, and maintenance access areas, coating quality and dry film thickness were controlled more carefully to improve durability and reduce long-term maintenance pressure.
This project required close coordination between the steel tower structure and radar equipment installation requirements.
The main coordination points included:
The steel tower was not designed as an isolated structural frame. It had to support the functional requirements of radar monitoring, equipment installation, cable management, inspection, maintenance, and long-term outdoor operation.
For this reason, the upper platform and equipment support frame were reviewed as key design zones. The design considered local load transfer, platform deflection, vibration sensitivity, access safety, and the relationship between the radar equipment and the tower structure.
The detailing workflow focused on tower geometry, node accuracy, connection coordination, erection segmentation, and equipment interface control.
Key detailing control points included:
For a steel radar tower, early detailing directly affects site efficiency. Accurate 3D modeling and connection review helped reduce misalignment, avoid repeated site modification, and support a safer erection process.
During the early communication stage, the client focused on several key requirements:
Based on these requirements, our team optimized the tower structural system, bracing layout, platform arrangement, equipment support frame, access system, connection details, anti-corrosion system, and erection sequence.
Before fabrication, the client reviewed the general arrangement drawings, tower elevation drawings, platform layout, equipment support details, connection drawings, anchor bolt layout, member list, coating specification, and erection sequence. Components were marked according to tower section, platform level, and installation order to improve site identification and assembly efficiency.
Radar towers are exposed structures. Wind load has a significant influence on global stability, tower top displacement, and serviceability. The project adopted a braced steel tower system to improve lateral stiffness and transfer horizontal loads efficiently to the foundation.
The upper platform had to meet the installation requirements of radar equipment. Platform beam arrangement, local stiffening, base plate positioning, bolt-hole accuracy, and levelness control were carefully coordinated during detailing and fabrication.
The tower operates in an outdoor environment with seasonal temperature variation, snow, wind, and humidity. The anti-corrosion system was selected according to exposure conditions, with stronger protection applied to exposed nodes, platform areas, ladder systems, and base connections.
Because the tower structure has multiple bracing levels and repeated bolted connections, erection sequence and temporary positioning were important. Components were fabricated and marked by section to support controlled lifting, alignment checking, and staged assembly.
The project required safe access for inspection and maintenance. Ladders, platforms, handrails, grating panels, and access clearances were coordinated with the structural frame and radar equipment layout to improve long-term operational safety.
The completed steel radar tower provided a stable and practical support structure for radar monitoring equipment in Xifeng, China.
Through optimized bracing design, accurate fabrication, coordinated platform detailing, and outdoor anti-corrosion protection, the project achieved reliable structural performance, efficient site installation, and long-term service adaptability.
This case demonstrates ArtisanStructure’s ability to deliver not only conventional steel buildings, but also specialized steel structures that require higher coordination between structural design, equipment interface, fabrication accuracy, and site erection control.
