Introduction

- He is an internationally recognized and

award-winning Spanish architect,
sculptor and structural engineer whose
principal office is in Zurich, Switzerland.
- He is an organic architect who finds his
inspiration in the human body and
nature.
- He is known to combine sculptural
concepts with technology.
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Project of aesthetic unification of OAKA area for the 2004

Olympic Games
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Olympic Stadium Roof

Goal: Provide a new roof for the existing

stadium compatible with the renovation works

Description:

 A pair of bent “leaves," which will cover a

surface of some 25,000 m2.
 Each half-roof is 250 m long and has a
variable width between 45 and 75 m
and is suspended by cables.
 The roof is covered with polycarbonate
panels .
 The bearing structure is made of steel.
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Structural Layout
Main bearing system:
 2 parallel arches type
“Bow‐String”
 304 m span,
 80 m height
 located 141.4m apart

4 bearing points :

 North Side: Fully restrained

movements and rotations
 South Side: Fully restrained but
longitudinal displacements.

Main bearing system:

 Main arch (Ф3.25m)

 Torsion tube (Ф3.6m)
 Connections
 Weight balance
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Roof structural elements

Transverse Ribs
Secondary cables

•Other elements at the roof

planes:
‐Edge tubes.
‐Upper and lower anchor tubes.
‐Diagonals.
‐Profiles RHS.
‐Purlins UPN
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Erection And Structural

Implications – Arch Erection:

Main Decisions

 Erection of the two half‐roofs

separated from the stadium
 Preassembly and welding on
ground of large elements : 4
pieces of 70m.
 One half‐roof started 3 weeks
before
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

First Stage‐Partial Removal of

shoring towers of arches

 Lowering 250 mm at temporary

towers ¾ span and removing
rest of temporary towers.
 This process transfers 1850 ton
on the definitive supports 42%
of the final weight.

Benefits:

 Using the elements of the central

tower for the secondary towers.
 Reduction of forces in other
elements due to arches self
weight.
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Second Stage Erection Half ‐Roofs

Stressing secondary cables,

removal of secondary towers, and
finally removing shoring towers
under arches.

The main structure (arch‐torsion

tube) is bearing on final
supports 9000 ton

The longest ribs had to be

reinforced with temporary trusses
until both roofs were connected
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Erection And Structural

Implications Skidding Of Half Roofs

Equipment

 Final roof supports equipped

with temporary steel beams
mounted on skid‐shoes bearing
on concrete walls

 Steel skid‐shoes on PTFE layer

sliding on stainless steel tracks

 Hidraulic jacks for movement

 Lateral dampers mounted at

north side
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Final position after sliding

The connection joint of the two half‐roofs were intentionally left separated
160mm as erection tolerance.

The gap is filled with steel plates

Project Olympic Stadium Roof
 Project Olympic Stadium Roof

Structural Analysis:

Most important issues:

 Arches stability.
 Construction stages take into account in
the analysis.
 Cables modeling.
 Modeling of variable depth ribs,
including lateral buckling analysis.
 Non‐geometric linearity
 Actions:
- Wind
- Seismic actions