TheOlympic Delivery Authority published new images showing the finalpreparations for the lift of the 2,800 tonne Aquatics Centre roof.
Thirtypairs of temporary support trestles up to 20m high have been put inplace to support the huge steel trusses that will form the sweepingwave-shaped roof of the Aquatics Centre, which will be the ‘gateway’to the Olympic Park during the London 2012 Games and in legacy’.
Thesteel roof of the Zaha Hadid designed venue will start to be liftedinto place next month. After the 160m long roof is in place, whichwill be longer than the span of Heathrow Terminal Five, it will belowered into its permanent position on three concrete supports.
Over20,000 tonnes of concrete have been poured to complete the southernroof support and on the two northern roof supports which are almostcomplete.
Newportbased company Rowecord is supplying the fabricated steel for thetrusses and the roof beams to the construction contractor in a dealworth over £10m. The roof steel is being rolled in Gateshead,Motherwell and Scunthorpe by two different companies.
ODAChief Executive David Higgins said: “With the Olympic Stadium,Olympic Village, Aquatics Centre, bridges and energy facilitiescoming out of the ground the Olympic Park is starting to take shape.Work on the Aquatics Centre is on track and final preparations areunderway to lift the huge steel roof - one of the most challengingconstruction and engineering jobs on the Park. The sweepingwave-shaped roof will be a fantastic gateway to the Games and thevenue will provide swimming and diving facilities in legacy thatLondon does not currently have.
“Steelfabricated in Wales and rolled in the north of England and Scotlandis an integral part of successfully completing this challenging liftand demonstrates the role that companies across the UK are playing inhelping deliver the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012Games.”
AquaticsCentre factfile
1.The Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre is located in the south ofthe Olympic Park and will be the main ‘Gateway into the Games',hosting Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo finalsand the swimming discipline of the Modern Pentathlon
2.The Aquatics Centre will have a capacity of 17,500 during the Games,reducing to a maximum of 2,500 in legacy, with the ability to add1,000 for major events, and provide two 50m swimming pools, a divingpool and dry diving area - facilities London does not have at present
3.Eleven industrial buildings have been demolished on the 55,000 m2site.
4.Around 160,000 tonnes of soil have been dug out on of what was one ofthe more challenging and complex areas of the Olympic Park,contaminated with pollutants including petrol, oil, tar, solvents andheavy metals such as arsenic and lead
5.Four skeletons were discovered and removed from a prehistoricsettlement discovered on the site of the Aquatic Centre.
6.140,000 tonnes of clean soil has been brought from other areas of theOlympic Park to prepare for construction to start.
7.Planning permission has been achieved and Balfour Beatty is buildingthe Aquatics Centre and huge land-bridge that forms the roof of thetraining pool and the main pedestrian access to the Olympic Park.Construction work will be complete in 2011 for test events ahead ofthe Games.
8.The sweeping roof, which is 160m long and 80m at its widest point, isan innovative 2,800 tonne steel structure with a striking and robustaluminium covering resting on three supports.
9.The roof will be internally and externally clad with timber. The teamis currently finalising its selection of the most appropriate timberboth for the Games and in legacy before installation in 2010.
10.The river that runs alongside the venue has been widened by eightmetre by building 550m of new river walls.
11.The huge completed southern roof support is 9m high, 28m long, over5m wide, using 850m³ of concrete
12.A 3,000 tonne concrete ‘bridge’ has been built spanning andprotecting the tunnels which have been dug to run powerlines beneaththe site. The northwest roof support will be built on top of thisbase.
Constructionis well underway on the north east roof support, with 4m high ofconcrete already poured.
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