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Modern Wide-span Spatial Metal Structures in Russia

P.G. Yeremeyev, DrPh, Professor,
Kucherenko Central Research Institute for Building Structures
A great number of unique wide-span structures have been built in Russia in recent years.
More than 30 new stadiums and covered arenas have been or are being built for the 2014 Winter
Olympics and the 2018 Football World Cup. The most interesting of these are briefly described
below.
Lokomotiv Football Stadium (Fig. 1) capable of holding 30,000 spectators (Moscow,
2001). Its roof (205.7 by 157.3 m) covering the stands has an oval shape in plan and is suspended
on guys (in pairs with OD = 140 mm) attached to four reinforced-concrete pylons with a height
of about 50 m erected at the stadium corners and supported by guy-wires.

Fig. 1 Fig. 2
Covered Speed Skating Center (Moscow, 2003) has the shape of a circular segment
with a radius of 117 and a central angle of ~160 (Fig. 2). The roof is made of standardized
composite wood-and-metal trusses. A system of radial trusses (two 50.4-m spans) with a ring
beam in the center is suspended on 19 cables transferring the load to the foundation via a central
steel pylon (with a height of 50 m) and its two guy-wires.
Ice Sports Palace (Moscow, 2005). A cylindrical building with a diameter of 100 m and
a height of 50 m (Fig. 3). Its suspended gridshell consists of an outer footing, inner ring and a
system of circular and radial flexurally rigid members with diagonal links.

Fig. 3 Fig. 4
Covered Speed Skating Center (Moscow Region, 2006) has oval shape in plan with
dimensions of 200 by 110 m. Its saddle-shaped roof is made of 4-mm steel sheets (Fig. 4). The
footing with a rectangular 1.2-by-2-m section is a steel trough filled with concrete. The longer
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sides of the footing rest on two arches with a span of about 75 m; the other parts of the footing
are supported by hinged props spaced about 12 m apart.
Ice Sports Palace (Angarsk, 2010). Its roof is a sagging cylindrical thin steel shell (t=4
mm) with plan dimensions of 90 by 87 m (Fig. 5). Closed monolithic reinforced concrete footing
consist of two linear and two curved elements. The footing corners are reinforced with struts.

Fig. 5 Fig. 6
A number of wide-span sports structures have been built for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.
Fisht Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 50,000 (Fig. 6) has an oval shape in plan
(285.0 by 240.0 m). The main elements of the roofs overhanging the stands are two main lattice
arches with a span of 285 m and a height of 70 m. Secondary semi-arches made of curvilinear
flat trusses with spans from 18.0 to 71.0 m are erected in perpendicular direction to the main
arches (approximately 28 m apart). The semi-arches rest on the reinforced-concrete frame of the
stands on the side opposite to the field. The main arches and semi-arches are linked with a
system of cross-trusses.
Iceberg Skating Palace in plan is a rectangle with rounded corners. Its roof (117.0 by
90.0 m) is a spatial structure in the form of radial tied arches (Fig. 7).

Fig. 7 Fig. 8

Fig. 9 Fig. 10
Bolshoy Ice Dome (Fig. 8) of an oval shape in plan (190 by 140 m) covered with a lattice
dome.
Adler Arena Skating Center (Fig. 9) and Shaiba Ice Arena (Fig. 10) with space frame
roofs.
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In 2018, Russia will host the 21st Football World Cup. Matches will be played in 12
stadia located in 11 cities. To this end, a number of modern football arenas have been or will be
newly built; others will be renovated.
Luzhniki Stadium will host the final of the 2018 World Cup. It was proposed to tear
down the arena and build it anew in order to comply with FIFA requirements. However, it was
decided later to upgrade the arena instead. The stadium now has a roof with a longer projection,
and new stands for 81,000 spectators are being built (Fig. 11).

Fig. 11 Fig. 12
Kazan Arena with a capacity of 45,000 (Kazan, 2012 г) is a circle (with a diameter of
250 m) with a central rectangular cut. The roof shape is part of a cylinder (Fig. 12). Bearing
metal structures over the stands consist of footing and cantilever trusses. The footing is a spatial
closed three-chord truss which is supported through hinge joints by eight reinforced-concrete
pylons at the stadium corners. The footing supports cantilever trusses with projections from 33.9
to 38.8 m. The cantilever trusses are attached to props along the perimeter.
Otkrytie Arena (Spartak Stadium) with a capacity of 42,000 (Moscow, 2014). The
stadium in plan is a rectangle with rounded corners (Fig. 13). Its plan dimensions are 219.7 by
179.1 m; height is 51.10 m. Metal structures include four main trusses around the field. Longer
trusses with a span of 217 m (height up to 22.5 m and width up to 13.25 m) run along the
football field. Shorter trusses with a span of 180 m (height up to 19.5 m and width up to 13.25
m) run in perpendicular directions. The trusses are supported in eight points by reinforced-
concrete pylons at the stadium corners.

Fig. 13 Fig. 14
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Saint Petersburg Stadium (Gazprom Arena) with a capacity of 62.000 has a

transformable central part and a movable field. The stadium in plan is a circle with a diameter of
295.7 m. Its maximum height is 56.6 m (Fig. 14). The metal structures of the fixed roof consist
of a framework shaped like a biconvex lens with a central aperture over the football field. The
structure includes radial and circular trusses and links. The roof is suspended on bearing cables
and guy-wires from eight slanted steel pylons with a height of about 100 m.
Fisht Olympic Stadium was built for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Its end stands are being
reconstructed now.
Samara Arena (Fig. 15) with a capacity of 45,000 is a round dome with a radius of
300.0 m and height above the field of up to 60,0 m with a central aperture. Its main supporting
elements are 32 radial cantilever three-chord lattice trusses made of round steel pipe. The radial
trusses with a projection of 91.2 m have variable height and a maximum width of 10.2 m at their
supported ends. The radial elements are combined into a spatial system by circular trusses and
links.

Fig. 15 Fig. 16
Rostov Arena (Fig. 16) with a capacity of 45,000 has an oval shape in plan with
maximum dimensions of 257.2 by 218.5 m. Its main bearing structure is a system of 46 radial
cantilever beams joined by circular girders and links. The flat cantilever beams with a projection
of 51.34 m are attached by slanting cables to the tops of pylons placed on the stadium perimeter.
The joints between the cables and pylons are connected by guy-wires to reinforced-concrete pile
caps.
Volgograd Arena (Fig. 17) with a capacity of 45,000 is a truncated cone turned upside
down with the base diameter of 303 m and a height of the roof above the field of 49.5 m. The
roof over the stadium stands (240.3 by 201.8 m) is a system of the “bicycle wheel” type with one
compressed outer ring and two elongated inner rings linked by a system of 44 radial cable
trusses. The roof over the lobby has a circular shape with variable span.
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Fig. 17 Fig. 18
Nizhni Novgorod Stadium (Fig. 18) with a capacity of 45,000. The roof over its stands
is designed as a shell with radial and circular elements; its main bearing elements are 44 radial
lattice cantilevers joined by circular trusses and links.
Mordovia Arena (Fig. 19) with a capacity of 45,000. The stadium is a domed structure
with an oval base. Its dimensions along the main axes of symmetry are 228.3 by 209.6 m. The
main bearing elements of the roof are 88 cantilever curved-chord lattice trusses with a projection
of 49 m. Main bearing structures are made of steel pipes connected without gusset plates.

Fig. 19 Fig. 20
Yekaterinburg Arena (Fig. 20) with a capacity of 35,000. The structure has a round
shape in plan with a diameter of about 180 m. Its roof is a sagging shell made of a system of
radial and circular rigid steel strings with a central aperture. The structure features a 100-m
opening in external walls.
Kaliningrad Arena (Fig. 21) with a capacity of 35,000 (including temporary stands
accommodating 10,000 spectators). The structure in plan has the shape of a rectangle with
rounded corners with overall dimensions of 166.65 × 203.65 m. It main bearing structure is a
space frame with radial and circular trusses connected by links. Planar radial trusses with a
projection of 38.2 m are suspended from the tops of pylons located on the stadium perimeter.
The joints between the suspension cables and pylons are connected by guy-wires to the
framework of the stands.
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Fig. 21 Fig. 22
A number of football club stadia have been or are being built.
Krasnodar Arena (Fig. 22) with a capacity of 35,000. The structure has an oval shape in
plan with overall dimensions of approximately 190.0 by 230.0 м. The roof over the stadium
stands is a stayed system of the “bicycle wheel” type with two compressed outer rings and one
elongated inner ring linked by a system of 56 radial cables. The radial cables which are staggered
in plan are connected by suspension cables into a circular system of cantilever cable trusses with
bearing upper chord and stabilizing lower chord.

Fig. 23 Fig. 24
VTB Arena in Moscow with 33,000 seats has an oval shape in plan with maximum
dimensions of 300.0 by 187.0 m and a height of 66.0 m (Fig. 23). Its roof also covers an indoor
arena with 13,000 seats.
CSKA Stadium in Moscow with a capacity of 36,000 has a rectangular shape in plan.
The roof over the stands is hyperbolic paraboloid in shape (Fig. 24). Its plan dimensions are
215.0 by 179.2 m. Overall width of the roof is 47.8 m, with cantilever projections of 38.8 m. Its
bearing structures are cantilever trusses with guy-wires.