Design Considerations of Tubular Connections: An Example Through The Singapore Sports Hub National Stadium Roof
Design Considerations of Tubular Connections: An Example Through The Singapore Sports Hub National Stadium Roof
ABSTRACT:. The new 55,000 seat National Stadium (NST) of the Singapore Sports Hub is due to be
completed in 2014. The NST roof is a highly efficient dome with a span and raise of 310m and 85m, supporting
a movable roof. The structure formed by a series of criss-crossing triangular trusses made up of circular hollow
sections (CHS), producing clean lines in the architecturally exposed structure. Connections needed to consider
fatigue plus ultimate limit design. This, with preference from the fabricator, lead to the connections being
formed profile cut tube to tube connections. Historically the design of such profile connections is based on
plastic design using semi-empirical formulas. While this leads to a very efficient design, published data is often
only applicable to simpler framing/geometry and assumed load paths. As well as complicated 3D geometry, the
NST Roof is a highly refined efficient structure leading to limited repetition in connection geometry and loading.
An innovative application of a variety of design methods was used to develop a series of design strategies for
the tubular connections. This included using approaches from CIDECT and AWS (in particular the multiplanar
parameter), which considered possible failure mechanisms typical in CHS connections and the load path
through the connection. On highly complex and congested connections, finite element analysis was used, also
requiring an understanding of materials to determine limiting strain and acceptability criteria for design.
This paper will discuss this approach to design, balancing high-level technical design with delivery
requirements for the project
1
Jane Nixon, Arup, level 10, 201 Kent Street, Sydney, Australia. Email: [email protected]
2
Richard Andrews. Arup, level 10, 201 Kent Street, Sydney, Australia. Email: [email protected]
3
Prof Peter Marshall, Centre of Offshore Research and Engineering, National University of Singapore,
email: [email protected]
1 INTRODUCTION
The Singapore National Stadium (NST) will form 2 OVERVIEW OF ROOF
the centre piece to the new Singapore Sports Hub STRUCTURE
and lies in the heart of the 35ha sports precinct (ref
Figure 1) The dome structure is formed by a network of
triangular primary arching trusses spanning over
The roof, at a 310m clear span, will be the largest the bowl structure. They vary in both depth and
covered dome roof in the word and at around width with a minimum depth of approximately
120kg/sqm of steel over the footprint area is an 2.5m at the base of the roof and a maximum depth
extraordinarily efficient structure. of approximately 5.0m at the centre of the dome.
The thrust of the dome is balanced by a 6m wide by
1.5m deep post-tensioned concrete ring beam.
These primary trusses are then linked together by a
series of triangular secondary trusses which directly
supports the cladding. The primary and secondary
trusses all work together to form a very stiff 3D
space frame dome structure.
A key feature of the new NST roof is the the pitch axis (ref Figure 3)
retractable roof which will provide flexibility of the
stadium usage, as well as contributing to the
functionality provided to
each and every seat in the stadium.
3.2.2 Stiffened Chord 3.2.3 Profile cut CHS and thickened can
As mentioned the roof is highly refined with many A connection formed from one thickened member
of the members close to utilisation, hence some through the connection and profile cutting and
form of reinforcing was required to strengthen the welding all other members to it was selected as the
can and transfer the force through the connection. preferred fabrication option and the least fatigue
sensitive detail, although more challenging to
Strengthening solutions in the form of gussets or design, following offshore oil & gas structures
addition stiffeners were briefly investigated. guidelines. The thickened main member through
External stiffeners had the potential to affect the the
architecture while internal stiffeners would be Figure 5)
difficult to fabricate, with issues of tolerance and
alignment. (Figure 4)
The checks carried out followed the AWS and API 600
5 CONCLUSIONS
This paper presents the design methodology used
Figure 9:Finite element model of a congested node for the Singapore Sports Hub National Stadium
CHS connections, balancing against high level
The sub models for the connections require a technical and practical design requirements of
consistent set of loads to be applied. The enveloped profile cut connections to provide an effective
forces typically used for connection design could design within the time and constraints of the project
not be applied and the consistent results from the
global model were used. The 1500 load cases for A profile cut welded CHS with a thickened can was
the roof were reduced to about 15 load cases for selected as the connection form for the structure,
each connection. The methodology for the satisfying weight, strength, fatigue, fabrication and
reduction of load cases considered the critical architectural requirements.
actions for CHS connection from the CIDECT and
AWS design guides. The 2500 connections were split into 3 groups,
each utilising the most efficient design methods for
Strain limits were used to define the acceptance the loading, number of connections and
criteria for the analysed connections. Considering complexity. These methods were based on existing
the simplified analysis approach used, more design guides such as CICECT and AWS, plus
conservative strain limits than the 5% strain limit detailed FEA methods
suggested by Eurocode 1993-1-5, with reductions
based on material thickness and compressive or
tensile response were applied. Table 2 gives strain
limits appropriate for TxT finite element meshing.
Tensile limits are consistent with a CTOD of
0.25mm in the weld toe HAZ, using the
methodology of reference [12].
Figure 11: Progress on site at the end of 2013. Project due for completion in mid-2014