STADIUMS

As part of the wider redevelopment of the Green Point Common Area the original Green Point Stadium was refurbished and upgraded for use as an athletics track. Three sides of the old stadium were opened up, with only the western seating segment being re-used. The original roof had been removed had to be replaced to shade and protect the seating below and allow spectators unobstructed views of the track.

The structural concept consists of new steel towers standing behind the existing raking reinforced concrete seating structures. Raking struts from the tops of these columns form a large triangulated cantilever frame which supports the main raking rafters. Purlins and the lightweight roof cladding are suspended below the rafters.

Wind forces are the dominant load on the structure and result in significant push-pull action on the tower structures. Uplift on the rear columns is resisted by large reinforced concrete footings. 15m wide and 140m long, the roof is eccentrically braced by a large reinforced concrete portal frame which creates the main entrance to the track.

In cross-section, it is braced by its connection to the existing reinforced concrete structure which was assessed as being fit for this purpose. Construction of the large reinforced concrete footings took careful excavation and sequencing to avoid undermining the existing column footings and steel more than proved its worth in accommodating the tolerances of the existing and new reinforced concrete work.

Re-using a large existing reinforced concrete seating structure in combination with a new lightweight steel roof provided an economic and solution to re-roofing the stadium.