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About the Venue
KADEX Exhibition Hall is the largest and safest temporary exhibition venue in Korea. In terms of size, it ranks just behind KINTEX and BEXCO in Busan, and is nearly the same size as COEX (37,511㎡), one of Korea’s oldest and most iconic exhibition centers. The KADEX exhibition hall spans 37,600㎡, consisting of two main exhibition halls, each 50 meters wide, 340 meters long, and up to 14 meters high, as well as two additional halls for special purposes.
In terms of efficiency, the KADEX exhibition hall is far more practical than other venues. While many exhibition centers are divided into multiple floors, the KADEX hall is a single, expansive level. Its roof and sides are covered in white, opaque PVC, but the sides where the two main halls meet are open and connected, creating a continuous space of 100 meters in width and 340 meters in length. The advanced structural design ensures a column-free width of 50 meters, providing a state-of-the-art exhibition space for large-scale events.
| Overall Size | 37,600㎡ |
| Main Exhibition Hall | 50m X 340m, Max14m. 2halls (34,000㎡) |
| Auxiliary Exhibition Hall | 30m X 60m, 2halls (3,600㎡) |
Safety
The KADEX temporary exhibition hall fully complies with all national safety regulations
and has established its own standards to further enhance safety.
All buildings in Gyeryong City, Chungnam, are structurally designed to withstand wind speeds of 28 meters per second (100 km/h) sustained for 10 minutes. This is based on the regulation requiring that buildings be designed to endure wind speeds and pressures equivalent to the maximum 10-minute average wind speed that occurs once in a 500-year period for the region.
Structural analysis of the exhibition hall, considering wind loads and self-weight, indicates that the tensile stress (force per unit area when stretched) is 133.5 MPa, and the compressive stress (force per unit area when compressed) is 133.0 MPa. Both results are within the allowable stress limit of 144 MPa for the materials used, ensuring the strength of the structure is comparable to that of permanent exhibition halls.
All major temporary exhibition structures worldwide, including KADEX, use Tension Fabric Structures (TFS). These structures are designed by stretching PVC fabric tightly between the frames, with tension applied at both ends of the roof to maintain its shape. This tension system allows the roof to withstand external forces such as wind and snow. The interconnected fabric enhances the structural integrity, making TFS tents more resistant to external pressures compared to standard tents.
TFS tents are categorized by shape into types such as C-Type, polygonal, arcum, and curved.
The fabric used in the KADEX temporary exhibition halls is significantly stronger than standard fabrics. While typical TFS tents use fabric weighing 675g or 775g per square meter, KADEX utilizes 875g per square meter fabric. This allows the fabric to apply more than 30% additional tension, providing greater strength and durability compared to other TFS tents.
All large-scale temporary exhibition halls worldwide use TFS (Tension Fabric Structure) tents. These tents are designed by fitting PVC fabric between the frames and applying tension at both ends of the roof to maintain its shape, ensuring resistance to wind and snow pressure. The interconnected fabric enhances the overall structural integrity, providing greater external resistance than standard tents, hence the name TFS.
TFS tents are categorized by their shape, such as C-Type, polygonal, arcum, and curved.
For the KADEX temporary exhibition hall, a fabric weighing 875g per square meter is used, compared to the usual 675g or 775g fabrics in other TFS tents. This allows for over 30% more tension and higher durability.
Twice the Thickness of Aluminum Profiles Used in KADEX Tents
Unlike other TFS tents, KADEX enhances safety by using aluminum frames that are twice as thick. While the standard aluminum frame thickness for temporary exhibition halls in Korea is only 5.5mm, the KADEX frame’s flange section is 11mm thick, resulting in an inertia moment (I) value over 30% higher than typical frames. This structural advancement enabled KADEX to create the first 50-meter span (distance between columns) exhibition hall in Korea.
The safety of a temporary exhibition hall is not determined by the shape of its sidewalls, whether oval or pentagonal, but by its structural integrity. Taller structures face higher wind pressure, requiring stronger frames. The selection of materials and design must adhere to precise structural calculations for safety—this is the science behind engineering. Just like a 100-story building stands firm due to proper structural calculations, not just its shape.
Lastly, it’s important to note that most aluminum profiles used in large tents worldwide are produced in China, as the extrusion die for large profiles is typically 550mm or larger, and there is limited demand for such profiles in Korea or Europe. Even though large TFS tents originated in Germany, most aluminum profiles are now imported from China. Therefore, it is crucial to verify the origin of materials labeled as “Made in Germany” or “Made in Belgium.” For KADEX, the structural calculations and design were handled by Korea’s top bridge engineering company, Interconstec.
Typically, large tents are erected by setting up individual columns and securing them to the ground with stakes. Most TFS (Tension Fabric Structure) tents use this method.
However, the KADEX temporary exhibition hall uses a strip footing method similar to seismic design. Instead of setting up columns individually, all columns are connected to form a single frame. The columns are spaced 5 meters apart and tied together with steel channels to ensure stability, preventing collapse or overturning even if there is movement. In the main exhibition hall, the base of 316 columns is tied with 1,560 meters of steel channels, creating a unified structure. This approach mirrors seismic construction methods to enhance stability. The entire exhibition hall, which spans over 33,000㎡, is designed to prevent collapse even in extreme conditions.
This method is vastly different from traditional TFS tents, which rely on hundreds of 1-meter stakes for stability. Additionally, the 15cm-high steel channels used in the KADEX hall help prevent rainwater from entering, providing both structural integrity and waterproofing benefits.
The KADEX temporary exhibition hall was designed and constructed by Interconstec, Korea’s leading civil engineering company, known for its expertise in structural analysis. The structure was custom-ordered and produced to meet Korea’s building regulations, specifically designed to withstand the required tensile and compressive stresses. The two-month construction process was also safely managed by Interconstec, ensuring the exhibition hall’s stability.
Founded in May 1999, Interconstec developed the innovative IPC girder, which gained recognition for its economic and construction efficiency. In 2001, this groundbreaking method was honored as one of Korea’s “Top 10 New Technologies,” making Interconstec the largest bridge engineering company in the country.
Convenience
The KADEX exhibition hall, while temporary,
features the most standardizedand systematized structure.
The sidewalls rise straight up to 6 meters, allowing for the use of system windows, giving the hall the same appearance as a regular exhibition center or building. In contrast, curved-sided temporary exhibition halls cannot accommodate system windows, resulting in design limitations.
The straight sidewalls also enable the use of specialized HVAC units for large temporary exhibition spaces. These units, which integrate air conditioning and outdoor units, are highly efficient. When using curved-sided TFS tents, it’s not possible to install these integrated systems, leading to lower efficiency with separate air conditioners and outdoor units. In curved TFS tents, participants may experience discomfort due to insufficient cooling and ventilation.
The KADEX exhibition hall offers the most complete and effective climate control system among temporary exhibition halls.
Construction Site
Introducing the actual construction site of the KADEX exhibition hall
