Diales Compendium Issue 3 - Flipbook - Page 7
ISSUE 3
COMPENDIUM
to be connected to the accessways and concourses of the
permanent stadium, which meant a series of bridges had to
be constructed between the temporary seats and permanent
structure. As the seats were effectively moved forward,
closer to the pitch, space became available for a new bar
area, which required a new platform above the permanent
seats.
Demountable platforms are an area where Diales has
unique expertise, and, having collaborated with Arena on
many complex temporary event structures in the UK and
Middle East, we were on hand to develop a solution for the
stadium.
Arena intended to use its ASD system, formed from steelframed panels on large-diameter steel legs. This type of
system is ideal for heavy-duty usage, and sufficiently robust
to remain in place for long periods.
The shape of the stadium bowl, coupled with the constraints
that arose from constructing on top of an existing stand,
made the proposed structure unique from an events
industry perspective, and the design of such a structure was
particularly complicated. Diales’ analysis capabilities meant
we could develop bespoke 3D models of Arena’s proposed
build and consider its impact on neighbouring structures,
both when the stadium was empty and when stands were at
capacity.
The structure of the stadium itself presented further
challenges. The geometry of the temporary seating differed
substantially from the stadium structure, which meant the
structural support did not align. The temporary seating also
had to be capable of resisting the weight of a stand full of
spectators, as well as the significant dynamic lateral loads
that can be generated at sporting events, both during access
and egress, and at particularly exciting points in the match.
For these loads to be safely transferred to the ground and
load-bearing parts of the permanent stands, a complex
support structure was inserted under the temporary stand.
the coordination of the ASD panel system with the positions
of strong supporting structure.
Dynamic actions, particularly those associated with the
movement of large groups of people in unison, can be
hazardous in a stadium. A recent example was at Dutch
football club NEC Nijmegen’s Goffertstadion. In October
2021, part of the stadium collapsed while away fans were
celebrating victory – the dynamic action of the fans jumping
contributed to the failure of the terrace.
Transferring the loads these actions create back to the
permanent stand posed a further challenge, as the lightweight
temporary stand required stabilisation to keep its occupants
safe and comfortable. This was further complicated by
the constraints of the stadium bowl – there was no means
of resisting the loads where the deck connected with the
permanent stands. This issue was overcome by making
the structures self-stabilising, with all loads transferred
to ground level. This required a complex arrangement of
bracing and strategically located ballast blocks, to hold the
stand in position without damaging the athletics track.
With Diales’ help, Arena managed to build the stands in
accordance with the client’s brief, while providing a stable
and safe structure which did not compromise the integrity of
the existing terraces or athletics track. West Ham fans have
enjoyed the improved views and proximity to the pitch that
the temporary stands have brought to the stadium.
Protecting the athletics track and terraces from damage
when the temporary stand was erected was vital. The
athletics track is vulnerable to damage from heavy loads and
can be very tricky to repair.
To protect the track from damage that can occur under
concentrated column loading, large spreader plates were
installed to evenly distribute the loads, and the columns were
kept close together.
The terraces presented a different dilemma. The terrace
segments span between raking beams, which hadn’t been
designed to carry columns – in effect, we were going to put
loads onto the beams that the original designers would not
have considered. Diales was able to reverse-analyse the
beams, so we could work out what column loads they could
carry. This analysis fed into the arrangement of the whole
structure – in essence, the column loads were limited, and so
the placement and spacing of columns was driven in part by
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