Work is underway lifting the 2,800 tonne wave-shapedroof of the Zaha Hadid designed London 2012 Aquatics Centre. The lift isconsidered one of the most complex engineering and construction challenges ofthe Olympic Park ‘big build’.
The Aquatics Centre will mark the ‘gateway’ to theOlympic Park during the London 2012 Games and in legacy will provide elite andcommunity facilities that London does not currently have, including two 50mswimming pools and a diving pool.
The steel being lifted to form the 160m long, 11,000 sqm sweeping roof is fabricated in Newport from plate rolled in Gateshead,Motherwell and Scunthorpe.
ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: “The AquaticsCentre is on track to be a fantastic gateway to the Games and provide swimmingand diving facilities in legacy that London does not currently have.
“The lift of the sweeping wave-shaped roof is one of thetoughest construction and engineering challenges on the Olympic Park and willshowcase the world class expertise involved in delivering the venues andinfrastructure for London 2012.
“Different parts of the country are playing a part withthe structure being built in London but made in Scotland, Wales and the northof England.”
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 OrganisingCommittee, said: "This is an exciting development. The design of theroof is iconic and will be one of the lasting images of the London 2012Games. The lifting of the roof demonstrates strong progress in thePark. The Aquatics Centre will deliver a legacy of a world-class swimmingvenue for elite and community use.
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said: "The roof thatis beginning to be lifted into place on the Aquatics Centre will make it one ofthe most memorable venues of London 2012 and provide a stunning entrance to theOlympic Park.
"From tomorrow we will be offering free swimmingfor over 60s and under 16s. After the games everyone, from elite athletes tokeep-fitters and free swimmers will be able to use the Aquatics Centre, whichwill provide a unique facility for Londoners with two 50m pools that can bealtered for elite or community use, dive pools, and a dive tower.”
Architect Zaha Hadid said: “It is very exciting to seesuch progress on site. This is a key milestone in the construction programme wehave been looking forward to since winning the 2004 competition. The roof ofthe Aquatics Centre reflects the fluidity of water and will provide aninspirational legacy for all Londoners well beyond the 2012 Games.”
Janet Paraskeva, Chair of the Olympic LotteryDistributor said: 'National Lottery money is playing a big role in funding theOlympic Park. With this milestone of the Aquatics Centre roofbeinglifted into place,Lottery players can see how their money iscontributing tothe regeneration of east Londonand toafantastic new resource for the UK for decades to come'
Raisingthe roof
When complete the 160m long column-free and up to 90mwide roof will rest on two concrete supports at the northern end and a 28m longand 5m wide, supporting ‘wall’ at its southern end.
A huge 30m steel truss weighing over 70 tonnes has beenlifted into place on top of the southern wall. This has already been connectedwith the first sections of 15 steel trusses which will span up to 120m to thetwo northern roof supports.
Over the coming months steel trusses fabricated inNewport from plate rolled in Gateshead, Motherwell and Scunthorpe, will beassembled on the Aquatics Centre site and connected together 20m off the groundon three rows of temporary support trestles.
Once the huge steel roof frame is complete it will belifted up to two metres at its southern end, turning on complex rotating jointsin the northern roof supports. The temporary trestles will be removed and the160m long roof frame lowered on to its three permanent roof supports, whichhave been built with over 20,000 tonnes of concrete.
As the full weight of the roof rests on its supports itwill slide approximately 20cm intoits joints at the southern wall. Theroof has been designed, through wind tunnel testing and computer modelling, tostretch, twist and contract in response to the effects of snow, wind andchanging temperatures.
Once the steel roof is in place this summer work willbegin on the aluminium roof covering. Installation will then start next year onthe timber cladding of the ceiling which will sweep outside to cover thenorthern roof supports.
The foundations of the permanent venue are complete andwork will begin on the pool structure once the steel roof is complete.
As a service to our readers, Around theRings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued byOlympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.
These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited forspelling, grammar or punctuation.
Your complete source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribersonly.
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
