GENERAL SEGRETARIAT OF SPORTS OF GREECE
MINISTRY OF CULTURE

ATHENS OLYMPIC STADIUM Restyling

Conception
ARCH. SANTIAGO CALATRAVA VALLS

Construction
COSTRUZIONI CIMOLAI ARMANDO S.p.A.

Structural Consultant
STUDIO GIORGIO ROMARO

All text and images are provided courtesy of
COSTRUZIONI CIMOLAI ARMANDO S.p.A. - Pordenone - Italy

Background

The structure consists of two roof coverings each spanning approximately
304m and varying in width from 60m to 100m. When joined, the inside perimeter
of the two coverings provides an elliptical opening over the football field of the main stadium.
Each covering is supported by a curved truss structure consisting of two arches: an upper ARCH TUBE
and a lower TORSION TUBE. The tubes are 3m in diameter with a wall thickness of up to 90mm.
The two arches are connected with cables. The main roof girders are positioned orthogonal to,
and built into the, lower arch. They are supported at the opposite
end by cables anchored to the upper arch.

The entire structure is supported at four points.
These supports also play an important role in the construction phase: they are used
as temporary sliding supports (skids) to transport the arches
from the assembly area to their final position.






Straus7 analysis of the ARCH TUBE flange




Straus7 analysis of the connections between the GIRDERS and the TORSION TUBE




Straus7 analysis of the support skid


The construction of the arches required the bending of steel plate of up to 90mm
in thickness. To achieve this, the largest steel press in Europe, located at the
S.Giorgio di Nogaro plant of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A, was used.
The press is 22m tall by 20m long and has a 15m blade.




Straus7 model of the press




Non-linear contact analysis of the interaction between the press,
the supporting frame and the foundation




6000 ton press for bending steel plate up to 90mm in thickness, constructed
by Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A. for their plant in S.Giorgio di Nogaro




Complete assembled press




Press: completed forming of a portion of the tube, at the S.Giorgio di Nogaro
plant of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A.




ARCH TUBE: construction phase at the Polcenigo plant
of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A.




TORSION TUBE: construction phase at the Roveredo plant
of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A.




TORSION TUBE: pre-assembly phase at the S.Giorgio di Nogaro plant
of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A.




TORSION TUBE: pre-assembly phase at the Polcenigo plant
of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A.




Intersection between the ARCH TUBE and the TORSION TUBE: pre-assembly
phase at the S.Giorgio di Nogaro plant of Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A.




Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A. transported the tubes by sea:
loading of one section of the TORSION TUBE




Costruzioni Cimolai Armando S.p.A. used special ships for the transportation
of some specific components: loading of the lower section of the skid, weighing
approximately 250 tons




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Assembly of the ARCH TUBE on temporary structure




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Assembly of the ARCH TUBE




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Assembly of the ARCH TUBE: completed erection




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Assembly of the TORSION TUBE: completed erection




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Skid: connection of the arch to the support




Straus7 model of the skid




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Skid: connection of the arch to the support




Straus7 model of the arch




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Assembly of the roof beams




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Assembly of the roof beams




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Partly completed structure prior to final positioning




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Arial view of the stadium during assembly: West arch in its final position
and east arch in the process of relocation




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Installation of polycarbonate roof panels




Athens construction site of Cimolai Armando S.p.A.
Complete assembly of the structure: showing the MAIN NODE




Straus7 model of the complete structure