CABLE STRUCTURE

CASE STUDY:
Roof of Munich Olympic Stadium, Germany
Daljeet Thethi 17112

ABOUT:
 The architects Günther Behnisch and Frei Otto were in charge of designing and building
the stadium would host the Olympic Games in Munich 1972.
 They raised a lightweight structure where tensions are nullified by a system of supports
and cables.
 The Munich Olympic roof are light transparent roofs that are both open and yet provides
a protection span along the Olympic Park with the Olympic stadium, the Olympic Arena
and the Olympic Swimming Hall.

 The roof grid over the main stadium is

formed by nine saddle shaped
nets of steel cables.
 The nets are supported over the seating
areas by eight tapering masts
behind the stadium, ranging from 50-70m
high.
 The saddle spans up to 65m and reaches a
maximum height of 58m.
CONCEPT:

FORM FINDING:

  They conceptualized a sweeping tensile structure that would flow continuously over
the site branching in between the natatorium, gymnasium and the main stadium.
 Thus, the result is a cable net structure consisting of many almost regular saddle – shaped
surfaces framed by edge cables is suspended at several points from masts.
 They are situated behind the grandstand, or are supported on the inside by cable-
supported props and anchored.
MAIN CABLE
TENSILE: MAST CABLE SUPPORTED MAST

Principle of force transition in two cable net elements:

 The tensility of the structure is achieved
by establishing a double curved by using CABLE NET
the principal member, the mast to support
the cables that is pulling the cable nets
ANCHOR
upwards and downwards to the anchor.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS:
Based on the discussion on the ‘Tensile’ concept,
1. The mast: Hollow cylindrical steel tubes (70m high, 2.75m dia, 50nM capacity)
2. Edge cables: Locked coil ropes
3. Guy cables: Parallel strand bundles
4. Cable net: Steel frame (75cm x 75cm net mesh width)
5. Cover: Plexiglass (4mm thick, 9m x 2m area)
6. Joints and connectors: Cast steel
CABLE NET
MAST COVER
GUY CABLES JOINTS
EDGE CABLES
FORCES AND LOAD: Structural Reaction Under Gravity

1. Gravitational Load:

Gravity Load Path:

 Gravity load is exerted onto the structure.
 Load transfers to the mast through cables.
 Finally, load transfers to the foundation.

CABLES

MASTS

Roof plan Structural Section (west view)

2. Lateral Load:
Westerly Wind:
The westerly wind will act on the
structure where the mast leans
towards the same direction of the
wind due to being pinned and all
the cables from the left side will
fall resulting in loose tensile roof
but the cables from right remains
in tension.
Uplifting Wind:
The uplifting wind will act on
the tensile structure where cables
Lateral Load Path Diagram
attached to the roof from above
will fall but the rest will remain
in tension.
Roof plan

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS:
The construction process of the Munich Olympic Roof adheres to the following sequence:
Foundation + Mast + Anchor
Foundation and Masts tension foundation were
needed to anchor main cables down to earth.
Upward pulls up to 50mN are exerted on such
foundation. Three types of foundation were used,
Indined Slot Foundation, Gravity Anchor
Foundation, deriving their anchoring effects from
self-weight plus the weight of the soil surcharge.
The Earth Anchor Foundation is 40m deep, needed
to support the mast.
 Cable Nets + Joints
The net was formed from strands spun from 19
heavily galvanized steel wires with a lay length
of 10 times the lay diameter. Main cables
composed of five strands and are held at high
tension to control deformation of the roof of the
snow and wind load. The edge cables vary in
specification. The nets are then framed by edge
cables and is suspended at several points from
the masts.
Acrylic cover with Neoprene
Lastly the roof is covered with acrylic plexiglass. The
transparent roof covering was formed of 2 by 2 acrylic
panels of 4mm thickness laid on the cable net and
bolted to the intersection nodes.

Cross Section of the Stadium