Stadium 974 – a milestone of sustainable stadium design

The modular construction allows to fully demount, transport and re-install the stadium at different locations

Stadium 974 located on the

east shore of the Doha Bay,
in the municipality of Ras
Abu Aboud, is the first fully
demountable, transportable,
and reusable stadium of its
kind. Modular construction
has already a long track
record but, developing and
delivering an entire scheme
for such a complex venue
under the requirements of a
FIFA World Cup Stadium,
was never achieved before. Fig. 1: Stadium 974 © Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy
Overall concept A plug and play stadium
The basis of the innovative concept of The innovative concept of Stadium This concept poses significant
Stadium 974 is a highly repetitive grid 974 is based on a simple principle: to challenges for the design and
of identical structural frames. The create a temporary venue that is fully implementation: modular construction
structure consists of a series of steel fabricated off-site, transported and principles deviate significantly from
frames resembling the appearance of a installed on site, and can then be principles and normal practices that
high-bay warehouse separated in easily demounted after the event to be govern the construction of stadiums.
different blocks, which e.g. include completely re-installed in another The construction industry is in general
the stands, concourses, and sanitary location or repurposed into many not adept to changes, therefore, the
fittings. All elements are placed in small stadia at different locations. development and implementation of a
specially modified and certified modular construction for a large
shipping containers. To achieve this, the principles of stadium required a difficult process of
modular construction are breaking the inertia and changing the
All individual elements can be implemented in a highly repetitive mindset of all the involved parties.
dismantled and transported within the grid of identical structural frames, From the purely technical perspective,
certified shipping containers to the supporting standardized components: some well stablished practices in the
next destination and erected there in bleachers, concourse slabs and design of stadium structures had to be
the same or alternatively in a modified modules carrying containers pre- reconsidered taking into consideration
configuration meeting the specific equipped with all required functions. the constraints imposed by the need of
venue requirements. This special All the elements of the structure demountability and reusability of the
principle results in a reduced lifetime should fit inside standard shipping structure.
carbon dioxide footprint due to less containers, to be packed and
construction material, reduced waste, transported as a complete system for Structural system
and reuse. the next event. The stadium occupies an area of 212
m x 200 m in plan and a maximum
The modular system has been height of 46.9 m above ground level.
approved by FIFA for large scale The structure of the bowl and roof is
events, which turns the stadium into divided in 8 sectors: 4 straight sectors
a milestone within the development and 4 corner sectors, separated by
of mega sports venue. dilatation joints. The structure of the 4
straight sectors consists of a series of
This pioneering scheme posed modular steel frames forming a
significant challenges and regular grid of 8.50 m x 9.0 m (in
constraints for the structural design, tangential and radial direction
and required a comprehensive respectively) of square welded
approach, from the development of Fig. 2: Transformation of the stadium columns of modular external
suitable structural concepts to the into several smaller venues © dimensions of 300x300 mm, 400x400
implementation in the structural schlaich bergermann partner mm or 500x500 mm, varying from
detailing. inner to outer columns, with varied
load demand. The structure of the
corner sectors is arranged in a radial
grid, maintaining the radial distance
of 9.0 m between tangential axes,
using the same modular column
dimensions. Due to the geometrical
constraints, the dilatation joints of the
bowl and roof don’t feature a double
support (i.e. double radial frame), as it
would be typically considered in a
standard building. Conversely, the last
bay of tangential beams and purlins of
the straight sectors features a sliding
connection to the first radial frame of
the corner sectors, allowing to transfer
only vertical forces to the adjacent
corner frame and saving the relevant
steel for the omitted structural double Fig. 3: Elements of the structure designed to fit inside standard shipping
support. containers © schlaich bergermann partner

Each column, hinged at the base level, Tangential beams are standardized independent from the bowl structure,
is connected in each intermediate and shaped to receive and support for maximum flexibility of re-use in
level to the adjacent columns through either modular slabs elements that the legacy mode. To provide the
a series of radial and tangential conform the concourse levels of the adequate stiffness for the lateral
beams. Both tangential and radial stadium, a container or cluster of up to sistant system, each sector includes a
beams, with standardized rectangular 3 containers, by means of a standard series of vertical bracing system
box sections, are connected to the clamping system. comprising CHS sections in both,
columns by means of pinned radial and tangential directions which,
connections. Horizontal diaphragm The concrete cores of staircases and together with the inclined raker beam,
floors are created on each level by elevator shafts are normally materialize a complete 3D frame
means of a series of tension rods considered to provide stability to the lateral resistant system.
connecting diagonally the opposite system and are key for the lateral
nodes of the grid, allowing to avoid resisting system of a typical stadium Special care on the detailing of the
using the floor system as part of the bowl. In the case of the Stadium 974, connections of the different elements
horizonal lateral system. the staircases are considered as of the bowl was specified, aiming to
achieve the maximum repetition and
modularity, taking into consideration
the requirements for demountability.
All the connections were designed
and specified to be fully demountable,
avoiding any possible plastic
deformation. Every structural element
of the bowl (i.e., columns, beams,
diagonal bracing, modular slabs, raker
beams and bleachers) has been
conceived to be transported inside a
standard shipping container, therefore
all the elements longer that 12.0 m
(basically columns and raker beams)
required a series of bolted splices, to
comply with this requirement.

The roof
The roof structure is also organized
following the regular grid of the bowl
and consists of a series of radial main
trusses supported on the outer
Fig. 4: Modular structural system duringseparate modules,
construction completely
© Supreme
Committee for Delivery and Legacy
perimeter columns by means of V- The out of plane stability of the truss removal of some of the container
shaped supports, cantilevering from upper chord is therefore achieved structurally bearing walls) and load
27.0 m in the North and South stands through rigid connections of the requirements (e.g. different
to 54.0 m in the East and West stands. purlins to the lower chord and the out superimposed loads and live loads,
of plane stiffness of the truss depending on the usage).
The large front cantilever is diagonals. The main principles of
counterbalanced with back stays demountability and modularity have
connecting the back of the roof main been also applied for the design of the
trusses and outer V struts, to the roof elements and connections, but
foundation level, therefore the vertical larger segments were considered for
component of the roof forces is the main trusses.
transferred to the bowl perimeter
columns, while the radial component Secondary modular systems
of the roof forces is introduced to the An extremely lightweight (weighting
bowl radial frame system through the less than 100 Kg/m2) and fully re-
raker beams. usable modular slab system was
developed, composed of thin gauge Fig. 7: Completion of roof structure ©
orthotropic steel plates, to reduce to a Supreme Committee for Delivery and
minimum the required means for Legacy
installation and dismantling. The slab
system withstands 5,0 kN/m² life load
and spans up to 9,0m. Similarly, the
bleacher elements were conceived as
a single folded steel plate, bolted
together with the adjacent elements
and to the raker beams, resulting in a
very efficient and lightweight system
Fig. 5: Containers before installation to resist the grandstand live loads,
© Supreme Committee for Delivery with adequate stiffness to comply
and Legacy with the stringent vibration
requirements in serviceability limit Fig. 8: Inside of Stadium 974 ©
The roofing consists of trapezoidal states. Supreme Committee for Delivery and
sheet spanning 4.50 m in radial Legacy
direction over tangential purlins. The
purlins are rigidly connected to the The requirements for demountability
bottom chords of the main radial of the structure posed a major
trusses, providing out of plane challenge for the detailing of the
stability to those elements. Horizontal structure. On one hand, each
bracing of the bottom chord by means connection of the bowl frame, roof
of tension rods is provided every other and secondary systems (i.e. slabs,
bay, while out of plane bracing of the bleachers and container) needed to be
V struts is provided on every bay. V analysed in detail within a 3D/BIM
struts, top and bottom chord and back environment, to ensure proper access
stays consist of rectangular welded Fig. 6: Construction of Bowl © for installation and dismantling,
hollow sections, while the main truss Supreme Committee for Delivery and including the presence of the MEP
diagonals and tangential purling are Legacy and architectural elements as required,
made of standard HEA/HEB sections. and considering the specific
The roof is sloped towards the outer A total of 974 specially modified installation/dismantling sequence. On
perimeter, where the rainwater the containers were used to allocate all the other hand, all the connections
drain water is drained through a the required functional spaces of the were simplified to the minimum
perimeter gutter. stadium. In some cases, clusters of up number of elements and a series of
to 3 containers with different standard connections where defined.
To reduce the number of connecting dimensions were designed to achieve All the bowl frame connections were
elements as well as to keep a clean the required functional area, requiring therefore designed with a single pin.
visual appearance of the stadium roof, considering a large number of variants To ensure demountability and full
the upper chord of the main trusses for the analysis, depending on the reusability of the connections, plastic
has no out-of-plane bracing elements. geometry (e.g. partial/complete strains were not allowed in the design.
Conclusions
Stadium 974 in Qatar is a pioneering
project in the field of sports venues.
The visionary concept to have a
modular kit of parts for the structure
and pre-equipped containers with all
required building services allows the
stadium to be demounted after the
FIFA Worldcup and to be re-erected
at other destinations. The individual
components and details of the stadium
have been designed that the initial
40.000 capacity stadium can be
configured to a variety of other
possible usage options ranging from
an ordinary size reduction to even a
modified overall geometry –
transforming the football stadium into
other sports stadiums or individual
Fig. 10: Stadium 974 at the harbour of Doha © Supreme Committee for
components for smaller sport and
Delivery and Legacy
entertainment venues. The modular
elements and the corresponding The visionary scheme resulted from a
details are designed to allow for a SEI Data Block
holistic approach with close
simple and fast transportation, collaboration of all the consultants Owner:
installation and dismantling. Each together with the client. The Stadium Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy
individual structural component of the 974 is not only a paradigm of modern
stadium has a permanent fixed tag sport architecture it is more over one Structural Design: schlaich bergermann
with a QR code. This allows during of the most sustainable sports venues:
partner
the construction, but also during the more often the individual
dismantling, storing and later reuse of components of the stadium are Contractor: HBK Contracting Company
the components, to identify the exact reconfigured and re-used at another
characteristics of the specific element site, the less the overall carbon Architect: Fenwick Iribarren
by simply scanning the QR code. As a footprint of the venues becomes.
consequence the organization and Service Date: 01.11.2021
coordination of the individual
components on site is simplified and
the overall quality assurance of the
project is improved and also after
several years easily tracable.

Fig. 9: fixed tag with QR Code© Fig. 11: View Stadium 974 © Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy
schlaich bergermann partner