2014-05-06 - Final Report IPW

Edinburgh Napier University
Integrated Project
Work (IPW)
LS000228
Scott Clark (10001063), Steven Moffat (10001207), John
Duffy (10005907), Juan Bernal Sanchez (40122161),
Borja Martin Varona (40063865)
06/05/2014

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................................. 2
1.1.1 Structural ................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1.2 Geotechnical .............................................................................................................................. 3
1.1.3 Transportation ........................................................................................................................... 4
2. Structural Aspects ............................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Exterior Building Layout .................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.2 Building Orientation and Location ............................................................................................. 5
2.1.3 Building Shape ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.1.4 Building Size ............................................................................................................................... 6
2.1.5 Exterior Design ........................................................................................................................... 7
2.1.6 Provision of pedestrian footbridge and design .......................................................................... 8
2.2 Internal Building Layout .................................................................................................................. 14
2.2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 14
2.2.2 Interior General Layout ............................................................................................................ 14
2.2.3 Seating Layout .......................................................................................................................... 15
2.2.4 Alternative Seating Layout Consideration ............................................................................... 15
2.2.5 Seating Tier General Details ..................................................................................................... 16
2.2.6 Viewing Consideration ............................................................................................................. 16
2.2.7 Seat Details .............................................................................................................................. 18
2.2.8 Floor Space ............................................................................................................................... 18
2.2.9 Internal Walkways .................................................................................................................... 19
2.2.10 Seating Plans .......................................................................................................................... 19
2.2.11 Alternative Seating Plans ....................................................................................................... 20
2.3 Multi‐Storey Car Park ...................................................................................................................... 30
2.3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 30
2.3.2 Capacity .................................................................................................................................... 30
2.3.3 Health and Safety ..................................................................................................................... 31
2.3.4 Automated Guidance ............................................................................................................... 31
2.3.5 Pedestrian and Vehicle Conflict ............................................................................................... 32
2.3.6 Design Geometry and Layout ................................................................................................... 32
2.3.6.1 The Car .............................................................................................................................. 32
2.3.6.2 Bay Widths ........................................................................................................................ 33

2.3.6.3 Bin and Aisle Widths ......................................................................................................... 33
2.3.6.4 Column Positions .............................................................................................................. 34
2.3.6.5 Gradients ........................................................................................................................... 35
2.3.6.6 Ramps ................................................................................................................................ 36
2.3.7 Parking Layout .......................................................................................................................... 37
2.3.7.1 Spiral Car Park ................................................................................................................... 37
2.3.7.2 Split Level Car Park ............................................................................................................ 38
2.3.8 External Ramp .......................................................................................................................... 39
2.4 Structural Design of Multi‐Storey Car Park ..................................................................................... 48
2.4.1 Loading ..................................................................................................................................... 48
2.4.2 Materials .................................................................................................................................. 48
2.4.3 Scheme Design ......................................................................................................................... 50
2.4.4 Robot ........................................................................................................................................ 50
2.4.4.1 Overview of Model ........................................................................................................... 51
2.4.5 Robot Results ........................................................................................................................... 52
2.4.5.1 Deflections ........................................................................................................................ 52
2.4.5.3 Imposed Deflections ......................................................................................................... 53
2.4.5.4 Reactions ........................................................................................................................... 53
2.4.5.5 Steel Member Verification ................................................................................................ 54
2.5 Structural Design of Three‐Tier Stand ............................................................................................. 57
2.5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 57
2.5.2 Loading ..................................................................................................................................... 57
2.5.3 Materials .................................................................................................................................. 58
2.5.4 Scheme Design ......................................................................................................................... 59
2.5.5 Robot ........................................................................................................................................ 59
2.5.6 Robot Results ........................................................................................................................... 60
2.5.6.1 Deflections ........................................................................................................................ 60
2.5.6.2 Total Deflections ............................................................................................................... 60
2.5.6.4 Reactions ........................................................................................................................... 61
2.6 Structural Design of Outer Arena building ...................................................................................... 68
2.6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 68
2.6.2 Loading ..................................................................................................................................... 68
2.6.3 Materials .................................................................................................................................. 68

2.6.4 Scheme Design ......................................................................................................................... 69
2.6.5 Robot ........................................................................................................................................ 70
2.6.6 Robot Results ........................................................................................................................... 71
2.6.6.1 Deflections ........................................................................................................................ 71
2.6.6.2 Total Deflections ............................................................................................................... 71
2.6.6.4 Reactions ........................................................................................................................... 72
2.6.7 Tedds ........................................................................................................................................ 79
2.6.8 Additional Variable Roof Truss Loading ................................................................................... 79
2.7 Structural Design Consideration and Implications .......................................................................... 79
2.7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 79
2.7.2 Arena Building Structural Design ............................................................................................. 80
2.7.3 Material Choice ........................................................................................................................ 80
2.7.4 Choice for Steel over Concrete in Seating Tier Design ............................................................. 81
2.7.5 Structural Member Connections .............................................................................................. 82
2.7.5.1 Steel Beam to Steel Column Connection .......................................................................... 82
2.7.5.2 Steel Beam to Reinforced Concrete Column .................................................................... 83
2.7.5.3 Steel Roof Truss to Reinforced Concrete Column ............................................................. 84
2.7.5.4 Concrete Flooring Connection on Steel Beams ................................................................ 85
3. Geotechnical Elements ..................................................................................................................... 86
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 86
3.2 Site Characteristics .......................................................................................................................... 86
3.3 Site Layout Specifications ............................................................................................................... 86
3.4 Existing Land Use ............................................................................................................................ 87
3.5 Site investigation ............................................................................................................................. 87
3.6 Trial Pits ........................................................................................................................................... 88
3.7 Borehole Logs .................................................................................................................................. 88
3.8 Light‐Cable Percussion .................................................................................................................... 89
3.8.1 Positives ................................................................................................................................... 90
3.8.2 Negatives .................................................................................................................................. 90
3.9 Drilling Operations .......................................................................................................................... 90
3.9.1 Positives ................................................................................................................................... 91
3.9.2 Negatives .................................................................................................................................. 91
3.10 Borehole Logs Laboratory Results................................................................................................. 91

3.11 Foundations .................................................................................................................................. 91
3.11.1 Raft Foundations .................................................................................................................... 92
3.11.2 Strip Foundations ................................................................................................................... 93
3.11.3 Pad foundations ..................................................................................................................... 94
3.11.4 Pile foundations ..................................................................................................................... 94
3.11.5 End‐bearing piles ................................................................................................................... 95
3.11.6 Friction piles ........................................................................................................................... 95
3.11.7 Displacement piles ................................................................................................................. 96
3.11.8 Non‐displacement piles ......................................................................................................... 97
3.12 Pile foundation method of installation ......................................................................................... 97
3.12.1 Continuous flight auger (CFA) piles ........................................................................................ 97
3.13 Foundation design ........................................................................................................................ 99
3.14 Pile Cap ........................................................................................................................................ 101
3.15 Pile testing ................................................................................................................................... 102
3.15.1 Stress tests: .......................................................................................................................... 102
3.15.2 Strain tests: .......................................................................................................................... 102
3.16 Site Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 103
3.17 Multi‐storey Car Park Geotechnical Data ................................................................................... 104
3.17.1 Multi‐storey car park pile foundations calculations ............................................................ 105
3.17.1.1Borehole 2: ..................................................................................................................... 105
3.17.2 Calculation: .......................................................................................................................... 106
3.18 Three‐tiered Stand Geotechnical Data ....................................................................................... 107
3.18.1Three‐tiered stand pile foundations calculations ................................................................. 108
3.18.1.1Borehole 12: ................................................................................................................... 108
3.18.1.2 Calculation: ................................................................................................................... 109
3.19 Arena Geotechnical Data ............................................................................................................ 110
3.19.1 Arena Pile Foundations ........................................................................................................ 111
3.19.1.1 Borehole 17: .................................................................................................................. 111
3.19.1.2 Calculation: ................................................................................................................... 112
3.20 Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 113
4. Transportation Statement .............................................................................................................. 115
4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 115
4.2 Existing Conditions ........................................................................................................................ 116
4.3 Trip Generation and Transport planning methodology ................................................................ 116
4.4 Proposed Development ................................................................................................................ 116
4.5 Travel Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 116

4.6 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 116
4.2 Existing Conditions ........................................................................................................................ 117
4.2.1. Local Highway network ......................................................................................................... 118
4.2.2. Local Railway network .......................................................................................................... 119
4.2.3 Local Public Transport ............................................................................................................ 120
4.2.4 Bicycles accesses to the site ................................................................................................... 121
4.3 Trip Generation and transport modelling methodology .............................................................. 122
4.3.1 Development trip generation ................................................................................................ 122
4.3.2 Modal Split estimation ........................................................................................................... 124
4.3.2.1 Car estimation ................................................................................................................. 124
4.3.2.2 Pedestrian estimation ..................................................................................................... 125
4.3.2.3 Bus estimation ................................................................................................................ 129
4.3.2.4 Bicycle estimation ........................................................................................................... 129
4.3.2.5 Taxi estimation ................................................................................................................ 130
4.3.3 Roundabout and Junction traffic impacts .............................................................................. 132
4.3.3.1 Roundabout traffic impacts ............................................................................................ 133
4.3.3.2 South Roundabout .......................................................................................................... 133
4.3.3.3 Main display .................................................................................................................... 134
4.3.3.4 Q marker ......................................................................................................................... 135
4.3.3.5 Pedestrian crossings ....................................................................................................... 136
4.3.3.6 Demand data ................................................................................................................... 137
4.3.3.7 RFC .................................................................................................................................. 138
4.3.3.8 North Roundabout .......................................................................................................... 140
4.3.3.9 Main display .................................................................................................................... 141
4.3.3.10 Q marker ....................................................................................................................... 141
4.3.3.11 Pedestrian Crossings ..................................................................................................... 142
4.3.3.12 Demand data ................................................................................................................. 143
4.3.3.13 RFC ................................................................................................................................ 144
4.3.4 Junction traffic impacts .......................................................................................................... 146
4.3.4.1 Geometric data ............................................................................................................... 146
4.3.4.2 Q marker ......................................................................................................................... 148
4.3.4.3 Pedestrian crossings ....................................................................................................... 149
4.3.4.4 Demand data ................................................................................................................... 149
4.3.4.5 RFC .................................................................................................................................. 150
4.3.5 Traffic flows simulation: Paramics Discovery ......................................................................... 152
4.3.5.1 Entrance to the site ......................................................................................................... 155

4.3.5.2 Exit from the Arena site .................................................................................................. 158
4.4 Proposed Development ................................................................................................................ 159
4.4.1 Car park provision .................................................................................................................. 159
4.4.2 Pedestrian Crossing facilities ................................................................................................. 160
4.4.3 Bicycle path facilities .............................................................................................................. 162
4.4.4 Bus transport plan .................................................................................................................. 163
4.4.5 Taxi entrance facilities ........................................................................................................... 167
4.4.6 Proposed new road networks ................................................................................................ 167
4.5 Travel Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 169
4.5.1 Pedestrians and Cyclists ......................................................................................................... 170
4.5.2 Bus and rail ............................................................................................................................. 171
4.5.3 Car Travel ............................................................................................................................... 171
4.5.4 Taxi transport ......................................................................................................................... 172
5. Environmental Issues ...................................................................................................................... 173
5.1 Environmental Assessment ........................................................................................................... 173
5.1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 173
5.1.2 Land Use ................................................................................................................................. 174
5.1.3 Contamination ....................................................................................................................... 174
5.1.4 Landscape & Visual Amenity .................................................................................................. 175
5.1.5 Noise and Vibration ............................................................................................................... 176
5.1.5.1 Mitigation Measures (construction) ............................................................................... 177
5.1.5.2 Mitigation Measures (design and operation) ................................................................. 179
5.1.6 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases ........................................................................................ 179
5.1.6.1 Mitigation ........................................................................................................................ 179
5.1.7 Water Quality and Drainage .................................................................................................. 180
5.1.7.1 Mitigation ........................................................................................................................ 181
5.2 SuDS .............................................................................................................................................. 182
5.2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 182
5.2.2 Background ............................................................................................................................ 182
5.2.3 SuDS Principles ....................................................................................................................... 184
5.2.4 SuDS Conceps ......................................................................................................................... 184
5.2.5 Benefits of SuDS ..................................................................................................................... 185
5.2.5.1 Flood risk management benefits .................................................................................... 185
5.2.5.2 Water quality management benefits .............................................................................. 186
5.2.5.3 Amenity and biodiversity benefits .................................................................................. 186
5.2.5.4 Community benefits ........................................................................................................ 187

5.2.5.5 Recreational benefits ...................................................................................................... 187
5.2.5.6 Water resource benefits ................................................................................................. 187
5.2.5.7 Educational benefits ....................................................................................................... 187
5.2.5.8 Benefits for developers ................................................................................................... 187
5.2.6 SuDS Components .................................................................................................................. 188
5.2.6.1 Source Control ................................................................................................................ 188
5.2.6.2 Swales and conveyance channels ................................................................................... 191
5.2.6.3 Filtration .......................................................................................................................... 192
5.2.6.4 Infiltration ....................................................................................................................... 194
5.2.6.5 Retention and detention ................................................................................................. 197
5.2.6.6 Wetlands ......................................................................................................................... 200
5.2.7 Proposed SuDS for Edinburgh Arena ..................................................................................... 201
5.2.7.1 Particularities of the project ........................................................................................... 201
5.2.7.2 Techniques applied ......................................................................................................... 202
5.3 Sustainable Arena ......................................................................................................................... 206
5.3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 206
5.3.2 Solar Panels ............................................................................................................................ 206
5.3.3 ETFE roofing ........................................................................................................................... 207
5.3.4 Geothermal heating ............................................................................................................... 209
5.3.5 Reuse of earth ........................................................................................................................ 210
5.3.6 Use of precast materials ........................................................................................................ 211
5.3.7 Waste management ............................................................................................................... 212
6.1 Gantt Chart .................................................................................................................................... 216
6.2 Temporary Works ......................................................................................................................... 217
6.2.1 Temporary works procedures ................................................................................................ 218
6.2.2 Temporary works in Edinburgh Arena ................................................................................... 219
6.2.2.1 Traffic Management. ...................................................................................................... 219
6.2.2.2 Road Closures .................................................................................................................. 220
6.2.2.3 Scaffolding ....................................................................................................................... 221
6.3 Health and Safety .......................................................................................................................... 224
6.3.1 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ......................................................................................... 225
6.3.2 Precautions in case of fire ...................................................................................................... 225
6.3.3 First Aid .................................................................................................................................. 226
6.3.4 The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007) ....................... 227
A.1 Appendix 1 .................................................................................................................................... 228
A.2 Appendix 2 .................................................................................................................................... 231

A.3 Appendix 3 .................................................................................................................................... 238

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1. Introduction
The construction of a 12000 capacity arena in Edinburgh is essential in the thriving
capital. The city already holds claim to one of the largest cultural festivals in the
world, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Despite this there is a huge void in the
availability of suitable venues; the corn exchange can accommodate a maximum
capacity of 3000 whilst Murrayfield, home of Scottish rugby, can cope with almost
50000 spectators. There is a real need for an arena that is more suitable for bands,
artists and sporting events that will attract a medium size crowd, in the region of
8000 to 12000 people. For this reason, Edinburgh is often overlooked for Glasgow
as there is a considerably wider choice in venue, most notably the SECC and The
SSE Hydro.
In addition, a site has been proposed across from the vibrant shopping centre,
Ocean Terminal, at Leith docks. Leith docks is an up-and-coming area of Edinburgh
that is undergoing significant regeneration as part of the Edinburgh Waterfront
development. The location has been chosen not only for these reasons but also due
to the already extensive public transport network in the form of a world leading bus
network. This network could potentially be further enhanced in the near future if
Edinburgh Tram Line 1 is completed as was initially planned.
As the key theme of the project is sustainability, the project will ensure the use of
sustainable construction materials and ensure the building is operationally ‘Carbon
Neutral’. As part of the sustainable agenda, a maximum of 20% of visitors should
arrive via private cars. The Designers should work closely with The Client to promote
public transport as much as possible.
The arena must be able to hold a capacity of 12000 in an all seated configuration.
The design should be flexible to accommodate a number of different events ranging
from a music concert to a boxing match. The design will ensure that there is
adequate parking available to meet the demand through the construction of a seven
storey car park, disabled car park and a ground level car park.
An important consideration when designing the structure is that all seats must have
an uninterrupted view to the stage. This means that internal columns are not

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permitted within the main arena building. The viewing angle will be chosen to
optimise the viewing experiencing while ensuring the maximum safety of the user at
all times.
The roof structure must be designed to accommodate any variable loads from roof
mounted equipment, such as, lighting rigs, speakers and backdrops. The design
should state the maximum loads that can be applied by such equipment per linear
meter and/or as a concentrated load. The arena structure design should also
incorporate a portal opening large enough to allow an articulated lorry into the
building to unload equipment. Provisions should be made to ensure that the arena if
fully accessible to disabled people.
Appropriate foundations must be designed for the arena and the multi-storey car
park. The design report should also consider the sites close proximity to water and
how this may affect the project and, if required, recommendations should be
providing listing further geotechnical works.
Appropriate consideration should be given to the design of on-site car, coach and
support vehicle parking. A detailed model should be developed indicating the
number of spectators expected to arrive using different transport modes. Layout
plans should also highlight the multi-storey car park entry/exit, site access, bus
stops, taxi drop-off points and cycle parking. Further recommendations should be
made highlighting any necessary improvements to the current transport network.
As with any major public building, public safety is paramount to any design. In a
building subjected to large audiences, crowd control is of great importance, in
particular the emergency evacuation of the entire building.
1.1 Roles and Responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities were designated and it was concluded that it is necessary
to collaborate and assist in each department.
 Structural Design - Scott Clark & Steven Moffat
 Geotechnical Design - John Duffy
 Transportation Design - Juan Bernal Sanchez

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 Environmental Design - Borja Martin Varona
1.1.1 Structural
Scott and Steven will undertake the structural concept and design of the arena,
multi-storey car park and footpaths.
 This will involve determining justification of a suitable design in comparison with
alternative concepts, which will require interpreting and analysing the balance
between functionality and originality.
 Steven will focus on the structure of the arena’s seating and supporting the
lighting rig.
 Scott’s role will determine the structural performance of the multi-storey car park
as well as the footpaths.
 Their concepts will evaluate and review the configuration of steel and timber to
reach a conclusion on the most sustainable composition.
 A holistic approach will be taken to finalise the production of the building’s layout.
This will include determining seating plans and floor plans to allow for stage
access, loading bays, services and fire exits.
 The final concepts principal members and connections will be provided with
adequate design calculations.
1.1.2 Geotechnical
John will focus on the geotechnical aspects of the report.
 Identifying soil conditions
 Understanding ground foundations
 Determining arena and multi-storey car park’s ground conditions and analyse the
suitability of foundations
 Piles, shallow and deep foundations will be examined in conjunction with the
borehole logs and trial pits to identify the necessary depth of excavation.
 Focus on the influence the project will have on the level of contamination that
can be expected as well as water pollution.
 Determine the method of installation for foundations

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1.1.3 Transportation
Transport issues will be undertaken by Juan to efficiently coordinate traffic to and
from the arena.
 Juan will focus on the traffic layout and determine the flow and circulation of
pedestrians and traffic to work harmoniously.
 It will be necessary to designate and efficiently design access to the site to
alleviate traffic congestion and choke points.
 It is essential to forecast projected modal shares from public transport and cars.
 In-depth analysis of the existing public transport network to determine the impact
the project will have on the operations of the network.
 Analysis will be conducted on the improvements that can be made to the existing
transport network area.
1.1.4 Environmental
Borja will work on providing sustainable and environmentally friendly methods.
 Work will continue on identifying possible acoustic and noise disruption
 Identifying possible contaminants in regards to the site
 Understanding the effect on water pollution
 Creating S.U.D.S and identifying possible solutions

Scott Clark ‐ 10001063 ‐ Steven Moffat ‐ 10001207
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2. Structural Aspects
2.1 Exterior Building Layout
2.1.1 Introduction
The requirement for The Client’s brief was to produce an arena building to hold a
seated capacity of 12,000 people. For this to be achieved a sizable building to house
the audience, staging area and facilities is to be constructed within the boundaries of
the acquired site and to blend in with the existing surrounding dwellings.
2.1.2 Building Orientation and Location
The proposed building has been designed in a way that compliments the
surrounding area and also provides an appealing exterior to reflect the area’s
maritime past. The building as shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2001 is orientated with
the entrance facing easterly. This was the preferred orientation as the entrance is
now closest to the disabled parking area alleviating a lengthy transition from car park
to arena for the disabled visitors. The entrance location complements the location of
the main multi-storey car park in which walking distance has been reduced. The
building was also placed in this orientation to provide the most secure area for
service vehicles to park which is hidden and protected from the dock and the
Government buildings (Figure 2.1.2).

Figure 2.1.2: Secure location of service area with vehicle park

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2.1.3 Building Shape
The building design is inspired through the site’s close vicinity to the coast. The main
structure of the building has a wave shape in the roof which is eye catching and also
aids in the location of the seating within. A sub-structure is attached to the main
building which houses internal seating and hallways and also provides a storage
area and service rooms for staff and performers.
2.1.4 Building Size
As seen in drawing M2_C_DR_2003 and M2_C_DR_2101 the dimensions of the
building are clearly displayed. As part of the design careful consideration was taken
to produce a final building which does not dwarf the surrounding existing buildings.
With this taken into account the final height was capped at approximately 40m as to
not obstruct any views and aesthetics of the nearby developments. This was an
important design decision which coincides with a common theme of developing a
final building which blends comfortably with existing buildings. This has been
maintained although the final design has a modern flare which promotes a special
building with great value to the community and the city of Edinburgh.
The building has been designed to make full use of the site that is acquired. The
buildings dimensions have been carefully chosen in order to maximise the internal
space to accommodate The Client’s requirement in capacity and also to provide
sufficient space for facilities and catering units. Suitable space has been retained in
order to provide flexibility in the use of the site and also in the event of an
emergency. One of the main objectives was to provide a flexible arena which can
adapt to future demands. With this noted sufficient space has been provided at the
north end of the site to provide a working space for larger events and future use of
the arena building (festivals, summer games). This also provides sufficient space for
a muster point in which crowds can gather in case of emergency evacuation.
The layout option that is proposed in this document has the service area located at
the rear of the building. This required an opening in the building capable of
supporting the loading and unloading of a 16.5m articulated lorry which is assumed
the typical choice in logistics vehicle. The proposed design of the arena has
incorporated an internal service reception which will be capable of housing the

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vehicles and a recommended size can be seen in drawing M2_C_DR_2101. Crash
barriers are recommended on the approach as not to damage the main structure of
the building while manoeuvring the vehicle inside the opening. The layout for the
external service area can be seen in drawing M2_C_DR_2003.
2.1.5 Exterior Design
As part of the building exterior design the cladding material has been considerably
influenced by the surrounding landscape. One major aspect of arena design, as
seen in other examples, is the use of eye catching materials to compliment the
shape and purpose of the building. Coupling this with the theme of the wave building
design and inspiration from the coastal location, a proposed option of the external
cladding material would be the use of interlocking triangular aluminium sheets
alternating in colour from blue to silver (Figure 2.1.5.1). This reflects the natural
colours of the sea and provides an aesthetically pleasing exterior finish.

Figure 1.1.5.1: Aluminium cladding swatch
This will be complimented with cylinder shape timber columns which are arrayed
around the exterior of the building providing a better quality finish and also to aid the
reduction in noise pollution emitted from the arena building. A proposed material
choice would be to use Accoya acetylated wood products (Figure 2.1.5.2). This is a
popular choice of wood product due to its durability, flexibility and the sustainably
managed production and distribution of the products. Care is required in combining
the aluminium material with the Accoya products as corrosion can take place which
will reduce the lifespan of both materials. It is recommended to specify corrosion
resistant aluminium and also in order to further preserve the wood insert a non
corrosive layer between the wood and the aluminium.

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Figure 2.1.5.2: Accoya wood products which will be used as a cladding material (Stamats
Communications Inc, 2013)
The main entrance end of the arena has a full glazed facade. This has been chosen
to provide large solar gains in the entrance hall and alleviate the requirement for
artificial lighting during daylight hours.
2.1.6 Provision of pedestrian footbridge and design
As part of the general layout the locations of the car park areas have been
designated at the furthest corner of the main site area. With this there is a
requirement for visitors to cross a main trunk road (Ocean Drive) and the less busy
road which is situated as an access road to the existing Scottish Government
buildings. The design has incorporated pre planning measures in which to reduce
the disturbance to local traffic when the development is completed, one suggested
option is to provide two pedestrian footbridges linking the two car parks to the main
site containing the arena building.
As shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2003 the standardised footpath has been designed
to span the width of the roads comfortably with supports at either end. As can be
seen in drawing M2_C_DR_2002 it is proposed that the footbridge be constructed
primarily with the use of reinforced concrete columns, bridge deck and staircase.
Two steel beams will span the full length of the undercarriage of the footbridge in
order to withstand the load from the large number of users. As not finalised in this
document it is recommended the dimensions consist of a 30m long footpath, 3m in
width and the lower level of the bridge being above 4.5m to give adequate clearance
for under passing traffic. The preliminary design is subject to change as with the
provision of the tram network proposing to extend from the city centre into the area

9

of the arena site, the bridge may become a problem for the over lying electricity
cables.

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2.2 Internal Building Layout
2.2.1 Introduction
The main section of the layout design is the interior arrangement to accommodate
the 12,000 seated capacity. From The Clients demands an objective to produce a
flexible use arena became the main theme for the interior layout. Flexibility has been
introduced and maintained throughout the design process and various options were
assessed in order to achieve this.
2.2.2 Interior General Layout
At the front of the building is the main reception/foyer. This is a large area with a
large roof height. With typical concert arenas this area holds the main greeting area
where the box office will be housed and the main security hub. The space has been
maximised in order to provide an open space for the congregation of crowds and
with the large glass facade this area will be vibrant promoting a relaxing atmosphere
for visitors. From the reception area there will be the main entrance into the
auditorium. As the building is constructed with three floors there is a requirement for
stairs leading to each floor. The stairs will be designed in accordance with the
recommended dimensions set out in Designing for Accessibility (2004) and situated
at the rear of the seating tiers. On entering the main section of the building there will
be refreshment stands on the ground floor with toilet facilities. On each floor there
will be toilets which are proposed to be situated at the rear of the stands. The ticket
checks are situated at each entrance to the stand which will be allocated on the
individual’s ticket. Having the ticket control at this location over the front door will
alleviate queuing outside and in the main foyer. At the rear of the building there is a
large opening to allow loading and unloading of equipment. There is a single storey
tier situated at this point, behind the staging area, which will have storage rooms,
dressing rooms and facilities for the performers and service crew. The complete
interior layout can be seen in drawing M2_C_DR_2007 and a cross section of the
main arena building can be seen in drawing M2_C_DR_2008.

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2.2.3 Seating Layout
The design of the building has produced a large auditorium in which the target value
of 12,000 seated capacity has been achieved and a seating layout has been
finalised. As the layout is to be fully flexible in terms of primary and secondary use of
the arena and also the good use of space in order to reduce the overall building
dimensions, the seating layout as shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2007 has been
designed with this full consideration. The floor area has been maximised in order to
provide a multi use arena. With this in mind the bulk of the seating will be situated in
a three tiered seating system. The remaining seating requirements are provided on
the floor. Having the majority share of the seating capacity in the tiers allows the
ability to remove the floor seats or reposition them depending on the scheduled
event. For examples of this refer to section 2.2.11.
2.2.4 Alternative Seating Layout Consideration
While initially undertaken various design options majority of the existing arena
examples that were examined had the seating area array around the stage in a
semi-circle which provided uniform viewing angles throughout (Figure 2.2.4).

Figure 2.2.4: Example of semi-circle arrayed seating (StubHub Inc, 2014)
Although this was a proven design, to maintain the idea of a fully flexible arena
building the proposed layout that is provided in this design has a close resemblance
to many sports stadiums. Sports stadiums have been designed for full 360 degree
viewing with multiple levels. The proposed arena design has taken this sentiment
and re shaped this to include a single point viewing area (stage). The stage is placed

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at one end of the arena and the seats are then designed around this similar to the
circular array layout.
2.2.5 Seating Tier General Details
The seating tiers are split into three floors. The ground floor tiered seating completely
surrounds the outer walls of the building (see section 2.2.3 for layout options). With
the roof design having the largest height at the front of the building, furthest from the
stage, this provided the opportunity to explore the option of having multiple tiers at
this point. The proposed design has two further tiers situated directly above the
ground floor seating tier. Having this arrangement allows the building to maintain its
position within the land boundary by reducing the individual sections of the tiers into
smaller heights. The seating tiers were designed in a way to meet the requirements
in capacity but also in a way that promotes the understanding of comfort providing
the best viewing experience for potential users. This being the case careful design
decisions allowed the creation of a seating layout which suits the purpose of the
building. The overall design process started inside the building which gave the
opportunity to examine the seating locations in order to identify the best layout and
have an early idea into the size of exterior building required. As seen in drawing
M2_C_DR_2201 the dimensions of a common tier is provided. The details of the
seating tier structural design and analysis results are provided in section 2.5.
2.2.6 Viewing Consideration
As part of the requirements in the design, all seats placed in the arena building must
have an uninterrupted viewing throughout the auditorium. The main structural design
(detailed in section 2.6) has maintained the instructions provided by The Client that
no structural column may be placed within the arena floor. The design has also
placed the roof trusses, designed to hold the arena lighting rigs, in designated
locations as to not obstruct the view from the higher seating tiers. It is recommended
that all seats that are placed within the building have been located and sized
appropriately in order for the maximum viewing pleasure to be achieved.
Starting with the seating tiers, drawing M2_C_DR_2009 shows the typical visibility
splays which the audience can expect. With this it can be seen that with the careful
design of the seating tiers no obstruction is occurred for each audience member.

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This is due to the dimension set out in drawing M2_C_DR_2201 which took into
account the consideration of user comfort and viewing. The upper tier seating
viewing splays, blue projection lines, have the lowest visibility. It is assumed that due
to the height of the tier and the distance from the stage area these seats will be the
lower priced, less desirable locations. Occasionally when a less than average person
is seated in this tier, restrictions in viewing will occur. However this is the only
location that suffers from this minor downfall. While seated in either the first floor or
ground floor seating tiers, green and red visibility splays, members of the audience
will experience perfectly uninterrupted viewing of the staging areas.
As the floor seating makes up a large share of the total capacity, the viewing
requirements has to be maintained. Initial thoughts in design were to raise the
flooring and incline to decrease in elevation towards the staging area. With
considering flexibility in the arena use this option was not preferred. Maintaining the
height restriction on the main building was also problematic with this option and
hence was eliminated from the final design specification. In this case the preferred
option was to raise the height of the stage to a height between 1.5 - 2m. This will
enable all floor seats to remain at ground level with no incline in the finished floor
area. Further research identified the requirement to design the rows of seats to be
staggered as shown in Figure 2.2.6. This further provided the alleviation of viewing
restrictions on the arena floor. As shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2009 each seat on
the floor area would have had some degree of viewing restrictions no matter the
seated height of the audience member. With the staggered seating arrangement this
has been eliminated and as shown (purple splay) all seats have unrestricted views
towards the stage.

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Figure 2.2.6: Staggered floor seating with visibility splays
2.2.7 Seat Details
As comfort was a key element which affected the design of the seating tiers and floor
seats, each individual seat location and size has been carefully designed. To provide
a comfortable seating position the space taking up by each seat has been examined
and a nominal value for leg room, height of seat and width has been examined. Each
seat location as shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2202 has been fit into a space
measuring 700 x 550mm. This allows enough space to fit the seat with brackets and
allow ample leg room and freedom of movement when arriving and exiting the users
designated seat. A shared arm rest is attached to each seat which maintains the
maximum seats per row and also is specified large enough to rest two arms on. A
general arrangement of seating within the tiers is shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2202.
To coincide with the comfort control in the production of the arena it is recommended
that the specified seats are chosen with an equal consideration for the best comfort
and durability to suit the budget.
2.2.8 Floor Space
Drawing M2_C_DR_2007 shows the 3 dimensional layout of the seating tiers which
gives an indication of the floor area that has been reserved with the chosen layout
option. Some of the alternative uses for the arena were closely examined and the

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floor area was built around the maximum dimensions required to facilitate sporting
events, theatre acts and conferences (see section 2.2.11). The floor area has many
seats yet has still provided large walking areas to provide safe movement and
evacuation. The seating tiers, which will provide the bulk of the total capacity, were
designed to fit within the walls of the building yet also to provide comfortable viewing
angles and positions in which all seats are able to view the stage without any
obstructions.
2.2.9 Internal Walkways
The walkways within the arena to the seating areas have been carefully positioned
and sized in order to provide safe access to seats and facilities. On entering at the
ground floor there is a large opening in the north end of the arena. To access the
ground floor seating tiers, in any event configuration, the main walkways are around
the floor seating. All walkways on the arena floor have been specified to exceed 3m
in width which was agreed as an appropriate size for safe access in line with The
Clients recommendations for easy access through the building. As the building has
been designed to promote the capability of accommodating disabled visitors the
main walkways have been prescribed with the recommendations set out in BS
8300:2009+A1:2010.
It is of the upmost importance to provide suitable provisions within the design of the
walkways for unexpected situations of an evacuation. The large walkways provided
are adequate for the case of an emergency in which the large crowd can pass
through the building and out either the main entrance, fire exit or the service opening
at the rear (see seating plan drawings M2_C_DR_2004 - 2006 for positions). It is
recommended that an action plan be produced in line with the walkways that are
provided in the building. In line with the attendance of disabled personnel it is
recommended that they be positioned in the building close to the rear exit to insure
priority evacuation in the case of an emergency. The disabled seating areas have
been explained in more detail in section 2.2.10.
2.2.10 Seating Plans
The most common and promoted use of the arena is for the full 12,000 seated
capacity with stage area for musical acts. As shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2004 the

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seating layout has been designed to include the full seated capacity. The
configuration of the music venue has the stage at the rear of the building. This was
the preferred option as the roof of the building is at its lowest point here and the
sound produced from the stage will travel up towards the seating at the back. It was
also positioned here to link well with the service area at the bottom left corner of the
site in which an access portal, suitably sized to fit a 16.5m articulated lorry through,
has been provided.
The share of capacity is shown in drawing M2_C_DR_2004 and as described in
section 2.2.9 the walkways dividing the floor seating is clearly visible. With this layout
as the stage is situated at the rear, the use of the rear ground floor seating tier is
lost. This does not reduce the capacity and hence the maximum audience number is
achieved. The rear seats are described as ‘temporary’ although there is no provision
in place as part of the design that the seating tiers be removed. It would be
recommended that a covering over the seats not in use or large curtain be hung
behind the seats as not to disturb the event. The floor seating has been arranged in
two sections with the large > 3m walkway dividing the east and west sections. As
part of this seating layout the disabled priority seating has been positioned at the
front closest to the stage. The reasons for this choice is to promote the
accommodation of disabled users with the front row seat priority and also in line with
safety procedures as they will be closest to the service opening which will be the
closest fire exit.
2.2.11 Alternative Seating Plans
As the arena has been designed to promote a flexible venue for multi use, the
seating plan for alternative uses has been addressed. Drawing M2_C_DR_2005
shows the seating plan which contains a boxing ring for combat sporting events.
While drawing M2_C_DR_2006 shows the arrangement for another sporting event
with a court/pitch, in this case a basketball court, in the centre of the floor. In both
plans the configuration of the seating plan has the 12,000 capacity maintained with
the rearrangement of the floor seating. The rear temporary ground tier can now be
implemented to upgrade the capacity to nearer 14,000 all seated audience. As the
final layout design included the large floor seating area, most indoor sporting events
can be catered for which bolsters the economic value of the venue. The design of

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the seats has made provisions for removable floor seating. In order to provide
alternative uses and arrangements this is the only viable option. For seat specifics
see section 2.2.7.

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2.3 Multi-Storey Car Park
2.3.1 Introduction
The car park is an integral part of the design and it is important not to overlook this
aspect of the design. Very often, the car park will give the user their first impressions
of the new arena and it is important that these are good. “A free-standing multi-
storey car park is essentially a functional building generally composed of a series of
floors supported on columns to provide large areas of uninterrupted floor space”
(The Institution of Structural Engineers, 2011, p1). The task when faced with
designing a multi-storey car park is achieving a ‘low cost per car space’ which results
in a very economic building being sought. It is important that when a multi-storey car
park is required as part of a development that it is fully integrated into the design, in
this case a footbridge will cross the road between the car park and arena site via the
second floor. As with all multi-storey car parks, a large percentage of the elevations
will be open to satisfy the relevant fire and ventilation requirements. It is for this
reason that a basement car park was ruled out due to the issues regarding forced
ventilation and environmental issues.
2.3.2 Capacity
The brief required parking for a maximum of 20% of the end users, giving a value of
2400. The transportation engineer advised that the average car will have 1.95
passengers giving a total number of spaces required of 1231. This was fulfilled by
providing 700 spaces in this multi-storey car park, 400 spaces in the ‘North’ car park
and a further 100 spaces in the disabled and electric car park. The capacity or
storage of the multi-storey car park will be 700 cars. This value is different from the
dynamic capacity which considers only the maximum achievable inflow or outflow of
vehicles. This is determined by the entry and exit system, the payment method, the
aisle width, the parking bay orientation and width and the chosen ramp system.
Generally, a dynamic capacity in which 25% of the static capacity are able to enter or
leave the car park within 15 minutes (100% within one hour) is acceptable.

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2.3.3 Health and Safety
The CDM regulations will be closely followed throughout the project and risk will be
assessed by looking into the “dangers that can occur in multi-storey car parks from
failure of barrier connections, poor maintenance regimes and deterioration of key
structural elements leading to failure by corrosion of connections. To mitigate the
consequences and reduce the probability of recurrence, potential weaknesses
should be identified and a means of safe access for their maintenance should be
considered” (The Institution of Structural Engineers, 2011, p9). With regards to the
structural design The Designer should consider the construction sequence, stability
and access requirements needed to complete the construction process and in-
service maintenance safely. Design choices must be made in the light of the CDM
regulations, which require designers to eliminate or reduce risk during construction,
maintenance, de-commissioning and demolition” (The Institution of Structural
Engineers, 2011, p9). The design will also comply with The Safer Parking Scheme
ensuring a safe and secure environment is created with regards to the structure and
to the end-users (adequate lighting, CCTV etc.).
2.3.4 Automated Guidance
An automated guidance system will be in operation providing car drivers with a
hierarchy of information beginning with the number of available car parks, then the
number of spaces in each, followed by the number of spaces in each floor and finally
arrows will guide the car driver down isles with available spaces. This is known as
the hierarchy of car park guidance systems and is given in Figure 2.3.4.

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Figure 2.3.4: Design recommendations for multi-storey and underground car parks (Fourth edition)
March 2011
2.3.5 Pedestrian and Vehicle Conflict
During the design, conflich between cars and pedestrians should be avoided as
much as possible. This will undoubtedly reduce useable parking space but a balance
is required in order to ensure the safety of all users. A minimum risk to pedestrian
approach should be adopted with adequatly positioned guardrails where pedestirans
are at risk of walking into moving traffic.
2.3.6 Design Geometry and Layout
2.3.6.1 The Car
The dimensions of cars change considerably over time and most recently, an
increase in 4 x 4 vehicles and crossover vehicles has increased the average car size
on British roads. A comparison of typical European car dimensions is provided in
Figure 2.3.6.1, based on the 95th
percentile.

Figure 2.3.6.1: Design recommendations for multi-storey and underground car parks (Fourth edition)
March 2011
No specific guidelines are published regarding the average turning circles of different
vehicles. However, these values can range from 10m for a small car to over 15m for
larger cars. When considering turning circles, a swept path of a vehicle is considered
as shown in Figure 3. This can be performed exactly for vehicles with different
turning circles on software like Autotrack of Autoturn. The maximum height of
vehicles must also be taken into account to ensure adequate room for all car types,
including a 4 x 4 with a roof box. The 95th
percentile of heights range from 1.85m to

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2.5m. It must be considered if emergency service access is required to the ground
floor or any subsequent floors. This would increase the require height clearance
considerably to allow for fire engines or ambulances.
2.3.6.2 Bay Widths
The type of parking required will determine the width of space provided. If the car
park is predominantly short stay i.e. shopping centre (<2hours), the parking bay will
be wider than a car park that is predominantly for long stay i.e. office parking. The
idea behind this is that the short stay car park wants people to enter and leave there
space as easy and quickly as possible to maximise revenue potential. A table of the
recommended widths is provided in Figure 2.3.6.2. The table also provides a
recommended width for disabled and parent and child parking at 3.6m and 3.2m
respectively. For this design, a short stay parking type is required and a parking
width of 2.5m was adopted.

March 2011
2.3.6.3 Bin and Aisle Widths
The bin width, aisle width and bay angle are also important aspects of the design.
Reducing the parking angle from 90o
to 45o
will increase the dynamic capacity and
reduce the required aisle width as it makes it considerably easier to enter and exit a
space, however, angles other than 90o
are rarely used in multi-storey car parks due

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to them taking up considerably more space resulting in a less efficient design.
Dynamic capacity can be increased by increasing the bay width as highlighted
above. For this design, as the car park is expected to accommodate large traffic
flows known as ‘tidal’ one way aisles provide the greatest dynamic capacity with a
bin length of 15.6m. One way systems also help reduce confusion for the car drivers.
This bin taken into account any vehicle overhang from the 4.8m space.

March 2011
2.3.6.4 Column Positions
There are specific guidelines with regards to column positions in multi-storey car
parks. Obviously a Clear-span construction by be the best solution with regards to
ensuring a safe environment is created for drivers and pedestrians alike, however,
this is not normally possible in multi-storey car park design. Columns should not be
placed in aisles and guidelines should be followed when placing interbin supports.
The most desirable position for this column is 3.6m from the back of the space and
between 0.8 and 1.0m from the front. There should be at least three spaces between
each interbin support. An overview of these support locations is provided in Figure
2.3.6.4.

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March 2011
2.3.6.5 Gradients
The concrete floors should be designed and constructed to have a minimum fall of
1:60 to allow for adequate drainage. This is essential on all floors due to the nature
of the open sides of a multi-storey car park allowing rain into the building. A gradient
of 1:75 will be adopted in all floors of this design. The gradient of ramps must also be
carefully considered to ensure a safe head height is maintained and also to ensure
the vehicle does not ground out. If the ramp gradient is greater than 1:10, a transition
zone may be required to prevent this, as shown in Figure 2.3.6.5.1. All number of
potential issues that may arise in gradient change are highlighted in Figure 2.3.6.5.2.

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Figure 2.3.6.5.1: Design recommendations for multi-storey and underground car parks (Fourth
edition) March 2011

edition) March 2011

edition) March 2011
The maximum gradients for both straight and curved ramps are provided in Figure
2.3.6.5.3 where the maximum gradient for a curved ramp rising more than 3m is
1:12. The multi-storey car park being designed in this development will have a
structural storey height of 5m.
2.3.6.6 Ramps
As previously discussed, the turning circle of a large vehicle can be over 15m and
this is important when designing the ramps. This design will use circular ramps and

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the recommended radius for one-way ramps is provided in Figure 2.3.6.6. The
preferred radius is adopted in this project with 12m radium ramps being designed.

March 2011
2.3.7 Parking Layout
A Number of different parking layouts were considered at the initial design stage to
ensure the most efficient use of available space. These included:
2.3.7.1 Spiral Car Park
The spiral car park is regarded to be one of the most efficient car park designs with
regards to the lowest cost per car space. Car drivers park on the same ramps as
they use to go up and down the multiple stories. Therefore these ramps have to be
of a low gradient and a minimum length of 57m is normally required. This approach
would therefore not be appropriate on a small dimensioned site. It was for this
reason that this design was ruled out at an early stage.

Figure 2.3.7.1: Spiral Car Park - Design recommendations for multi-storey and underground car parks
(Fourth edition) March 2011

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2.3.7.2 Split Level Car Park
The split level car park is also a very efficient design particularly if it is to be
constructed on a naturally sloping site of 1.5m over 32m. The wider the site, the
more efficient the design becomes. If the site is of considerably large width, a wide
split level car park can be designed which further increases the efficiency of a
sloping site and considerably reduces the amount of material that requires
excavation and land filled. Split level car parks can also be designed with quick
return ramps that allow drivers to skip full storeys on entry and can also speed up the
exit by providing a direct route. This is important with regards to dynamic capacity
when ‘tidal’ traffic flows are present. On investigation, the south site where the multi-
storey car park is proposed is an almost plat surface and a split level car park would
not improve the design efficiency.

Figure 2.3.7.2.1: Split Level - http://www.multi-storey-car-parks.com/car_park_layout.htm

Figure 2.3.7.2.2: Split Level Wide - http://www.multi-storey-car-parks.com/car_park_layout.htm

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Figure 2.3.7.2.3: Split Level Wide with Quick Return Ramp - http://www.multi-storey-car-
parks.com/car_park_layout.htm
2.3.8 External Ramp
External ramps can be placed on one side or on both sides of the building. One ramp
block will travel up the levels and the other down. External ramps provide among the
best entry and exit solutions, allowing for a higher dynamic capacity which will deal
with the ‘tidal’ flow effectively. This will result in a rapid entry/exit and allow a good
turnover capacity. Despite this, external ramps are also one of the most expensive
designs per car park space, however, this is a compromise that is essential to
achieve the required dynamic capacity essential to service the arena and this design
will be adopted.

Figure 2.3.8.1: http://www.multi-storey-car-parks.com/car_park_layout.htm

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Figure 2.3.8.2: http://www.arthitectural.com/hypostyle-architects-multi-storey-car-park/

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2.4 Structural Design of Multi-Storey Car Park
2.4.1 Loading
A number of loads and loading combinations have been considered in the design of
the Multi-storey car park. Firstly the dead loads of the construction materials are
taken into account. This includes the all steel beams and columns and also the
concrete hollowcore floor units. Technical information was provided from Bison1
detailing the self-weight and required thickness of floor for a given span. The self-
weight of the steel beams and columns was automatically calculated using Autodesk
Robot. Dead weights were also outlined for services, finishing screeds and
membranes. The main variable action is in the form of a uniform vehicular load of
2500kg/m2 or 2.5kN/m2 as provided in BS EN 1991. Wind loading was considered
using Tedds engineering software. It should be noted that the large openings in all
sides of the building will not reduce the wind loading as percolation through the
building will result in drag on the parked vehicles which is transferred by shear
through the car’s tyres. The elevation is therefore assumed to be fully closed with no
openings. There are a number of other loads that must be considered, however are
not required at tender stage. These include impact or accidental loading which are
caused by scenarios such as a car crashing into a wall or column. There will also be
additional lateral loading in the building caused by the braking and turning of the
vehicles using the building. Access loading of 0.6kN/m2 was also considered during
the design – this was used instead of snow loading as there is no requirement to
combine the two, higher of the two is used.
2.4.2 Materials
As previously noted, the car park was designed using a steel frame. The biggest
issue with a steel frame is fire analysis. All buildings are required, by law as defined
by relevant building regulations and standard, to provide a given value of fire
resistance before failure. For opening sided car parks there is generally a ‘low risk to
life’ and 15 minutes of fire resistance of required, achievable by unprotected steel
sections. However, car parks over 30m tall need to have at least 60 minutes of fire
resistance and fire retardant protection of the steel work will be required, as shown in

1
http://www.bison.co.uk/

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Figure 2.4.2.1. It is important that this is very durable and not susceptible to bumps
and scuffs, particularly on columns that are is close proximity to moving vehicles.

Figure 2.4.2.1: Minimum periods of fire resistance
The precast, tensioned hollowcore floors are one way spanning and are regarded as
one of the most economical flooring solutions for car park design. They are
constructed from high strength concrete with fully enclosed voids. It is important that
water does not get trapped in these voids either during construction or due to a
failure of the waterproofing membrane as water will caused accelerated deterioration
of the concrete. This can be prevented by using techniques such as weep holes. The
hollowcore flooring units themselves do not provide any lateral resistance, however,
a bonded-in concrete screed will provide resistance and this is also required to act
as a wearing surface for the vehicles. The connection detailing that will be adopted in
the design will require shelf angles to be welded into the UB to support the floor units
as shown in Figure 2.4.2.2. It should be noted that an additional clearance of 25mm
is required to allow the floor to be put into place.

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Figure 2.4.2.2: Diagram of shelf angle connection detail
2.4.3 Scheme Design
Scheme design of the car park involved designing a typical column and four typical
beams. The car park spaces were inputted first to ensure maximum use of the
space. This has resulted in a non-uniform design, however, the maximum space
potential has been realised. Space location plans for the ground floor and floors 1 to
6 are provided in drawing 1 and 2 respectively. Drawing 3 shows the hollowcore floor
unit span directions and drawings 4 and 5 show the beam and column positions in
relation to the space layout. All columns have been poisoned in accordance with the
relevant guidance from the institute of structural engineers. The column designed
was believed to have the highest axial loading to allow the geotechnical engineer to
design the foundation to the worst possible scenario. A number of hand calculations
were undertaken to determine the load path of the variable and permanent actions.
These calculations are provided on calculation paper at the end of this chapter.
These values were then imputed into a 3D Robot model of a section of the car park
structure. A typical beam and column were also analysed using Tadd’s structural
engineering software. The hand calculations carried out show a maximum axial load
of 5711.04kN, however, this did not consider the self-weight of the beams and
columns.
2.4.4 Robot
The floor plan area analysed using hand calculations was also analysed using robot.
This allowed us to compare the load take down performed by hand and also to
include the steel beam and column self-weight. Robot also performs a steel
verification check to ensure all members are used efficiently.

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2.4.4.1 Overview of Model
The model represents a section of the entire building showing four hollowcore floor
slabs and their supporting beams and columns. For scheme design, only the section
sizes for the lowest floor will be determined as these will carry the highest loading.
The loads that were calculated by hand were inputted into each floor of the model –
the roof has a different dead load due to having a thinner hollowcore slab and a
lower imposed load due to no cars being parked on the roof. Only the centre column
of the model gives a complete reaction force at foundation level. Load cases are
divided into variable actions, safety factor of 1.5, and permanent loads, safety factor
of 1.35. Reduction factors for variable actions in multi-storey buildings are not
permitted in car parks. The steel beams are S275 UB 305 * 165 * 40, UB 610 * 305 *
40 and the lowest level columns are UC 305 * 305 * 283. The model assumes fully
fixed connection at the base of all ground level columns.

Figure 2.4.4.1: Robot structural model of multi storey car park

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2.4.5 Robot Results
2.4.5.1 Deflections
Serviceability deflections due to imposed loading are a big design consideration that
must be taken into account. A building does not need to collapse to be deemed a
failure (ULS) but can also fail by other means (SLS). A Serviceability Limit State,
SLS, failure could be a failure that does not directly affect the performance of the
building but how safe the user feels when inside the building. Examples of SLS
failures are large amounts of cracking, vibration or, indeed, deflection. If a building
noticeably deflects as it is loaded or unloaded with people, the users may feel very
uncomfortable and think the building is unsafe. A maximum vertical deflection of
span / 360 should be applied for imposed loads. This reduces to span / 250 for total
loads.
2.4.5.2 Total Deflections

Figure 2.4.5.2: Robot structural model with deflection labels
The maximum deflections under total load (ULS) are 15 mm over a 7000mm span
and 32mm over a 10700mm span. This equates to a span / 465 and span / 335
respectively- both comfortably within the span / 250 lower limit. Safety factors have
been added.

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2.4.5.3 Imposed Deflections
The maximum deflections under imposed loading (SLS) are 3 mm over a 7000mm
span and 6mm over a 10700mm span. This equates to a span / 2333 and span /
1783 respectively- both comfortably within the span / 360 lower limit for variable
loads. Safety factors have not been added.

It can be safely determined that neither total nor imposed deflections will have any
impact on the usability of the structure.
2.4.5.4 Reactions
The maximum reaction forces are given on robot and are valid for the centre column
only. The result obtained here is comparable with the result obtained in the hand
calculations – steel work self-weight was not considered in the hand load run down
and as a result the final value is slightly less. The maximum axial force calculated
using robot is 5939.92kN.

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Figure 2.4.5.4.1: Robot structural model with resulting reaction labels

Figure 2.4.5.4.2: Table of reactions for multi storey car park
These results are based on purely axial loads and no lateral loading i.e. wind has
been taken into account for this scheme design.
2.4.5.5 Steel Member Verification
Robot allows The Designer to perform a verification check on all steel members used
to check their suitability. Checks are carried out in accordance with BS EN 1993-1
and results are given as a ratio showing the proportion of the beam that has been
utilised. The closer the ratio is to 1 the more efficient the beam or column is. In the
robot model, only the lowest level beams have been designed for efficiency for the
scheme design. As the concrete hollowcore floors are only one way spanning, the
beams on the short sides will only support their own self-weight. The graph below
shows the utilisation of each member in comparison to one another.

55

Figure 2.4.5.5.1: Robot steel bar analysis

Figure 2.4.5.5.2: Robot steel member verification
The most utilised member is the column from ground floor to first floor with 88%
utilisation. This Figure drops to 0.04 for a beam carrying only self-weight. A typical
check carried out by robot is given below for the most utilised column and a typical
10.7m long beam.

56

Figure 2.4.5.5.3: Robot steel column check

Figure 2.4.5.5.4: Robot steel beam check

57

This design has only been taken to a typical scheme design level in order to give
The Client an overview of the design process and the details are designed not to be
exhaustive.
2.5 Structural Design of Three-Tier Stand
2.5.1 Introduction
It was decided at an early stage that opting for a tiered stand system that was
independent from the main arena structure was going to provide us with the best
design solution. This would not only simplify the design process but would allow the
steel stand structures to be prefabricated offsite. The design consists of three
identical tiers with an 8m cantilever on the second and third tiers. For the scheme
design, only the three tier system has been analysed as this provides the worst case
scenario. The arena is also made up of two and one tier stands that experience
identical loading.
2.5.2 Loading
A number of loads and loading combinations have been considered in the design of
stand system. Firstly the dead loads of the construction materials are taken into
account. This includes the all steel beams and columns and also the concrete
hollowcore slabs that are used for the floors and also the concrete slabs that are
used to create the seating terrace. Technical information was provided form Bison2
detailing the self-weight and required thickness of floor for a given span, provided in
Figure 1. As previously, the self-weight of the steel beams and columns was
automatically calculated using Autodesk Robot. The main variable action is in the
form of people, and in this case the area will be subjected to crowd loading category
C5 and a load of 5kN/m2 should be adopted as specified in BS EN 1991-1. As the
stands are independent of the outer structure and are fully enclosed within the
building envelope, no wind loading calculations are required.

2
http://www.bison.co.uk/

58

2.5.3 Materials
The stands will be constructed from Universal beams (UB) and universal columns
(UC) and will have CHS bracing. The biggest issue with a steel frame is fire analysis.
All buildings are required, by law as defined by relevant building regulations and
standard, to provide a given value of fire resistance before failure. It is likely, based
on Figure 2.5.3.1, that the structure will require 120 minutes fire resistance and will
also have to have a sprinkler system installed. The height of the Building at its
highest point is 35-40m. The hollowcore floors are one way spanning and are
economical flooring solutions. An identical connection detail will be adopted for the
tier floors as was used in the car park. This involved shelf angles being welded into
the universal beams. Precast, one-way spanning concrete slabs will also be used to
create the seating surface and to affix the seats to. These slabs will be 200mm thick
and will be similar in profile to stair units as shown in Figure 2.5.3.2.

Figure 2.5.3.1: Fire resistance regulations

Figure 2.5.3.2: Typical concrete profile details

59

2.5.4 Scheme Design
Scheme design of the three-tier stand involved calculating the permanent and
variable actions for the given terrace area and also for the concrete floors within the
stands that are used for access. These hand calculations were then inputted into a
3D model of the entire three-tier system on robot. These hand calculations are
provided on calculation paper at the end of this chapter. No load take down was
performed by hand due to the complexity on the angles combined with the CHS
bracing. A typically loaded beam and column will also be calculated using Tedds
structural engineering software.
2.5.5 Robot
Robot will be used to determine maximum deflections, reaction forces and to ensure
all steel work is suitable. This will allow us to quickly and efficiently reduce or
increase the size of any steel member if required,
2.5.5.1 Overview of Model
The model represents a section of the stand system, showing one of the largest,
three-tier units. The model shows the position of the hollowcore floor units in
locations where people are walking resulting in a variable and permanent action in
these locations. Load cases are divided into variable actions, safety factor of 1.5,
and permanent loads, safety factor of 1.35. The majority of the steel beams are S275
UB 305 * 165 * 40 with the centre beams on the seating terraces being S275 UB 406
* 178 * 78. This is due to the centre beams taking double the load than the outer
beams. All columns are S275 UC 305 * 305 * 97 except one at the bottom spans
two stories instead of one and as a result is S275 UC 305 * 305 * 158. Steel bracing
in the form of CHS 139.7 * 8 is used to help reduce the rotation of the stands. The
model assumes fully fixed connection at the base of all ground level columns.

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Figure 2.5.5.1: Robot structural model of seating tier
2.5.6 Robot Results
2.5.6.1 Deflections
Serviceability deflections due to imposed loading are a big design consideration that
must be taken into account. A maximum vertical deflection of span / 360 should be
applied for imposed loads. This reduces to span / 250 for total loads and span / 180
for cantilevers.
2.5.6.2 Total Deflections


61

The maximum deflection under total load is 32 mm over an 8350mm span. This
equates to a span / 261- just within the span / 250 lower limit for total loads and well
within the span / 180 for cantilevers. Safety factors have not been added.
2.5.6.3 Imposed Deflections
The maximum deflection under imposed loading (SLS) is 11 mm over an 8350mm
span and. This equates to a span / 759 and - comfortably within the span / 360 lower
limit for variable loads the span / 180 for cantilevers. Safety factors have not been
added.

It can be safely determined that neither total nor imposed deflections will have any
impact on the usability of the structure.
2.5.6.4 Reactions
The maximum reaction forces are given at foundation level for all columns, as shown
in the table below. The maximum axial force calculated using robot is 2376.02kN and
this is found at the base of the double height column, as shown below.

2014-05-06 - Final Report IPW

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