Citation
(2004), "LEXAN® THERMOCLEAR® sheet selected for stadium roofs for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 33 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2004.12933eab.032
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
LEXAN® THERMOCLEAR® sheet selected for stadium roofs for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal
LEXAN® THERMOCLEAR® sheet selected for stadium roofs for the UEFA Euro 2004TM tournament in Portugal
Whether a design demands either transparent or light diffusing materials, GE Advanced Materials Structured Products’ LEXAN® polycarbonate sheet remains a popular choice for stadium roofing and other associated stadium applications. One of the best and most recent examples of this is the specification of LEXAN® THERMOCLEAR® sheet as the roof glazing material for six of the stadiums that hosted the UEFA Euro 2004™ football tournament in Portugal. LEXAN THERMOCLEAR sheet provides excellent light transmission, high impact resistance and good weatherability – and will require minimal maintenance. For these particular stadiums, more than 74,000 m2 of both side UV protected LEXAN THERMOCLEAR sheet has been installed at the six venues in Portugal.
Extremely suitable as roof glazing material is the recently developed multi-wall LEXAN THERMOCLEAR X-structure. The X-structure sheet is UV-protected on both sides and has a unique X-shaped internal configuration that gives it the excellent stiffness, improved load resistance, high impact strength and good thermal insulation properties.
The massive programme of investment and rebuilding of stadiums for the UEFA Euro 2004 included the following.
Lisbon, Luz stadium
Luz is Portugal’s biggest stadium with a fully covered seating capacity for 65,000 spectators. It incorporates a series of high quality facilities and has been especially designed to withstand long-term exposure to sunlight and harsh weather conditions. To meet these criteria, the HOK architectural bureau specified the double-sided UV light protection provided by 32 mm thick LEXAN THERMOCLEAR X-structure sheet for the roof’s glazed area of 10,600 m2.
“The stadium roof glazing industry is demanding new materials with performance properties that go beyond anything currently available,” explains Damon Lavelle, lead architect of the Luz stadium project for HOK, “and LEXAN THERMOCLEAR X-structure sheet with its superior stiffness characteristics, high infrared sun ray absorption while maintaining light transmission was the only material that supplied us with the combined properties that we were looking for in this project.”
GE advanced materials structured products and HOK had previously worked together on the Sydney Olympic stadium project, where 27,000 m2 of 16 mm LEXAN THERMOCLEAR sheet was used for the most challenging engineering feature of the stadium, the 300-metre span roof structure. Suspended from a huge arch structure, the roof is constructed from a translucent grade of polycarbonate to minimise any shadows and patches of direct sunlight on the sporting area. Its light, steel and sheet combination structural weight of 85 kg/m2 (the sheet weight is only 3 kg/m2) provides spectators with protection from the weather, whilst reducing the wind resistance for the participants on the field.
Dragão stadium Estadio das Antas
The opening game of the tournament will be held at the Dragão stadium. It has a 50,000-seat capacity, incorporates 280 tonnes of metal in its structure and has an array of pillars to support its translucent roof, which has been termed a veil because of its impressive design. The roof incorporates 35,200 m2 of LEXAN THERMOCLEAR X-structure that for this installation is 32 mm thick and has UV protection on both sides.
Leiria, Dr Magalhães Pessoa stadium
The seating capacity at this stadium has been increased from 11,000 to 30,000. The architect’s product of choice to cover this new seating area is LEXAN THERMOCLEAR sheeting and more than 10,000 m2 of the 25 mm-thick both side UV protected sheet has been installed.
Aveiro, Municipal Aviero stadium
The Aveiro Municipal stadium has been completely reconstructed in a breathtaking design to accommodate over 30,000 spectators. More than 7,600 m2 of LEXAN THERMOCLEAR Plus sheet, 25 mm thick, has been used to cover the roof of the complete seating area. The thermoclear plus grade of LEXAN provides excellent stiffness and double-sided UV protection, and was supplied in special sheet lengths of more than 18.5 m.
Lisbon, Jose Alvalade stadium
This new stadium has capacity for 52,000 spectators. Its modern design incorporates 9,000 m2 of LEXAN THERMOCLEAR Plus sheet to glaze the roof area and provides complete cover for all seated fans.
Porto, Bessa stadium
The Bessa stadium is integrated within a sports complex that is under development and which is characterised by four new seating sections. A roof covers all the seating areas and the use of LEXAN THERMOCLEAR X-structure is able to fulfil all the architectural requirements for transparent glazing.
For further details, please contact: Wendy Gold, GE Advanced Materials, Plasticslaan 1, 4600 AC Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 164 29 20 97; Fax: +31 164 29 10 66; E-mail: wendy.gold@gepex.ge.com