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Ashton Gate Stadium

Stadia case study, Celsius®

Truss almost landed
ash stand lan1
Tuss nearly lifted from front
Truss nearly lifted
Arial view showing crane
First pair of rafters being lifted
ash stand lan1
Tuss nearly lifted from front
Truss nearly lifted
Arial view showing crane
First pair of rafters being lifted
Truss almost landed
Quote Text
There were many challenges on this project – from designing connections for strength and then for aesthetics and then for fabrication. The fabrication detail itself was a major challenge and that led into a very difficult and heavily-planned site phase.
Quote Text Author
Angus Cormie, Chief Engineer at J&D Pierce
Text after image field

End Client: Ashton Gate Stadium
Architect: KKA Architecture
Main Contractor: McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Ltd
Consulting Engineer: Jacobs
Structural designer and fabricator: J&D Pierce (Contracts) Ltd
Tata Steel Products: Celsius® 355 Circular Hollow Section
Year: 2016
Images: J&D Pierce Fabrication and OTIB (Bristol City Forum)

The new Lansdown Stand at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol was opened in 2016 as part of a major redevelopment scheme. The stand incorporates around 1,800 tonnes of structural hollow section and features a complex, triangular-shaped roof truss spanning 108m.

The challenge

The criticality of the roof members demanded circular hollow section with proven, consistent strength and reliable tolerance. Precise and reliable loading calculations were vital to the successful design of welded joints in the complex truss design.

The architectural requirement for visible truss connections – with no outstands and a continuous ‘look’ to the hollow section – also posed challenges, with complicated details required for the fabricated steel-to-steel connections.

Ashton Gate Stadium remained live during the development of the Lansdown Stand. Site constraints, coupled with the need for safe, timely and cost-effective roof installation, called for a well-considered approach to erecting the main support truss.

The so