Structural Design of Lotus Arena: A Large-Span Suspen-Dome Roof: Fid-Bau Portal

Structural Design of Lotus Arena: A Large-Span Suspen-Dome Roof

Zhang, Zhi-Hong / Dong, Shi-Lin / Fu, Xue-Yi

Structural design of a practical spherical suspen-dome with a diameter of 122 m was carried out in China Construction (Shenzhen) Design International (CCDI) in 2006. Some aspects of the whole design procedure of this practical suspen-dome are presented in this paper, including load conditions, technical conditions, force finding analysis, load analysis, nonlinear buckling analysis, cable breaking simulation, integral structure analysis, joints design, and construction sequence simulation. Regarding the determination of pretension among the lower cable-bar system, a strategy with respect to adjusting the deformation of the upper reticulated shell under service loads is proposed. Load analysis gives out some computational results of this suspen-dome when subject to indispensable load cases required by the current load code of practice of China. Cable breaking simulation shows that there will be no spreading collapse in sequence. For the structural design of suspen-dome, much attention of construction feasibility, minimum cost should be paid. For the effects of temperature action the integral structure analysis including the supporting system (the concrete structure frames) is very important. An elastic supporting system is very helpful to avoid possible high pretension losses or increments due to the site air temperature fluctuation. Joints design is briefly introduced. Construction process simulation analysis is investigated.