Application of Steel Structure Grid in Sports Venues

Steel structure truss, with its unique advantages, has been widely used in the construction of sports venues and has become an important structural form of modern sports venue buildings.

From the perspective of structural characteristics, the steel structure grid is composed of multiple steel members connected by nodes in a certain grid form. The members are generally made of steel pipes or steel sections, and the nodes include welded ball nodes, bolted ball nodes, and other forms. This structure can evenly transmit loads, make the entire system under reasonable stress, and effectively disperse various loads borne by sports venues, including audience, equipment weight, as well as natural loads such as wind and snow.
In sports venues, steel frame structures have many significant advantages. Firstly, they can achieve large-span coverage, providing a wide column free space for sports events and activities, such as large-scale track and field competitions, ball games, etc. There is no need to worry about internal columns obstructing the line of sight and activities, and the audience can have a good viewing view. Secondly, the steel structure grid has a light weight, which can reduce the foundation burden, lower construction costs, and demonstrate good seismic performance in natural disasters such as earthquakes. Furthermore, its shapes are rich and diverse, allowing for the creation of unique appearances based on the designer's creativity and the functional requirements of the venue, such as the complex shape of the Bird's Nest, which has become a landmark building of the city. In addition, the hollow design of the grid is beneficial for natural lighting and ventilation, reducing the use of artificial lighting and air conditioning, lowering energy consumption, and providing a comfortable indoor environment. Moreover, the components can be prefabricated in the factory, with fast on-site installation speed, which can shorten the construction period and reduce the impact on the surrounding environment.
Many sports venues have successfully applied steel structure grids. For example, the main stadium of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Bird's Nest, had a steel truss structure that is a masterpiece in the history of world architecture. The grid structure of the "Bird's Nest" is complex and exquisite, consisting of a large number of steel rods interwoven with each other, forming a unique spatial stress system. It not only bears huge loads, but also provides stable support for the venue. For example, the Pingxiang Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium has a hyperbolic elliptical roof design, using various steel structure grid forms such as suspended domes and mesh shells. The steel structure plane projection has a long axis of 152 meters and a short axis of 112 meters. The construction was successfully completed through advanced construction methods, demonstrating the application ability of steel structure truss in large-span and complex shaped sports venues.
However, there are also some key points to pay attention to when using steel frame structures in sports venues. During design, various loads should be accurately calculated to ensure structural safety. 24. Suitable grid forms, steel models, and node types should be selected based on the size, function, and geological conditions of the venue. 2. During construction, the processing accuracy and installation quality of components should be strictly controlled, and welding, anti-corrosion, and other work should be done well. 2. During later maintenance, the grid should be regularly inspected to promptly detect and deal with problems such as rusting of members and loosening of nodes, in order to extend its service life.