Development of a Reusable Structural Module for use in Stadiums

Abstract

The London 2012 Olympic Games was not only host to people from 204 countries but also to the greatest number of reusable or adaptable structures ever seen at an Olympic Games (Nimmo et al. 2011). Having attended events in two of these stadiums this summer, I am interested to understand the principles that were used and how the adaptability and reuse of structures could be expanded for more extensive use in the future. This thesis links reuse and adaptability of structures with sustainability principles and provides an investigation into the structural principles that lend themselves well to reuse and adaptability. Focus is placed upon the principle of tensegrity as there are currently a lack of studies that link the use of tensegrity with sustainability principles, despite its structural efficiency. The aim of this thesis is to investigate current capabilities and adapt them for use as part of a reusable stadium structure. The process involved in reaching a suggested module design is detailed, however, the focus is given to the design process and the selection of a suitable initial structural base as oppose to the detailed stadium configuration.