Project Overview: Construction of basketball court roof at UAE Sports Complex
Project basketball court cover at the UAE Sports Complex is a large-scale tensile membrane structure designed to cover the entire stadium and grandstand area. The structure solves the technical challenge of an extremely large span, creating a semi-outdoor arena that can operate in extreme climate conditions, while providing a modern and iconic architectural form.
- Investor: UAE Basketball Association
- Category: Full Coverage for Basketball Court Complex
- Structure: Steel arch structure and PVDF/PTFE membrane
- Coverage area: ~3,000 m²
- Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Technical Requirements Analysis & Project Context
The project was undertaken with the aim of creating a standard training and competition facility that can be used year-round in the harsh desert climate. The main technical requirements included:
- Large span, No support columns: The most important technical requirement is that the roof structure must be able to span the entire span of the basketball courts and the grandstand area without any internal support columns, ensuring that the playing space and the audience's view are not obstructed.
- Heat and Solar Radiation Control: The canopy must be able to effectively reflect heat and block UV rays to reduce the temperature below, creating a cool and safe competition environment for athletes under the harsh sunlight.
- Durability in Harsh Environments: Structures and materials must be designed to withstand the UAE's unique environmental conditions such as high temperatures, strong UV radiation and the possibility of sandstorms.
- Sports Space Quality: Natural light under the canopy must be evenly diffused, glare-free, providing ideal visual conditions for high-speed sports.
Technical Solutions and Implementation Process
To solve the above technical problems, a steel arch structural solution combined with high performance tensile membrane was chosen.
Large Span Steel Arch Structure Design
The chosen technical solution is a parallel steel arch structure that spans the entire width of the stadium. The arches are designed as trusses to optimize load-bearing capacity and minimize self-weight. This is the most efficient structural solution for structures requiring extremely large spans such as gymnasiums or stadiums, allowing the creation of an interior space completely free of supporting columns.
High Performance Tensile Membrane Material (PVDF/PTFE)
The covering material is a high-grade architectural membrane (PVDF or PTFE), specially selected for its high heat reflectivity and UV resistance. This material blocks a large portion of the sun’s radiation, keeping the space below significantly cooler. The membrane’s translucent properties also allow natural light to diffuse evenly, providing ideal lighting conditions for competition without the need for heavy daytime lighting. This is a key material solution for architectural stretch canvas.
Analysis and Construction
The entire system is analyzed by specialized engineering software to ensure safety under the impact of wind and temperature loads. Steel structures and tensile membranes are processed in the factory and assembled on site, ensuring accuracy and fast construction progress for a large-scale project.
Results and Performance Evaluation
Project basketball court cover Upon completion, a modern semi-outdoor gymnasium has been created that meets international standards and is highly efficient:
- About function: Provides a fully covered competition and training space, allowing sports activities to take place continuously, uninterrupted by the weather.
- About the quality of the competition environment: The canopy creates a cool space with uniform, glare-free natural light quality, improving performance and safety for athletes.
- On structural efficiency: The ultra-lightweight structural solution (~1/30 compared to traditional structures) has proven to be highly effective in economically constructing large-span structures.
- In terms of architecture: The modern dome-shaped structure has become a symbol of sports architecture, enhancing the image and status of the complex.
Contact Technical Consulting
Flexiiform specializes in providing architectural design and construction solutions for tensile membranes for sports, public facilities and large-scale projects with complex technical requirements. For detailed advice on your project, please contact our team of engineers directly.
Contact information:
Company: Flexiiform
Website: https://flexiiform.vn
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