Polycarbonate goes Olympic

The locations for the competitions in this summer's Olympic Games in China had to meet a range of criteria. As building materials polycarbonate sheets proved to be invaluable for their properties of light transmission, load resistance, low weight and durability. More than 36,000 qm of this transparent material was used in the construction of the various competition facilities.

Olympic stadium Shenyang
The stadium in Shenyang, for example, has a Makrolon® roof in a winged design. Apart from the low weight of the sheeting, the planners were particularly impressed by the easy way it can be assembled. A cold bending process was used to fit the sheets on a filigree sub frame on the spot. An additional decisive factor in the choice of materials was the minimal bending under load which was a requirement of the original tender. In response the experts at Bayer MaterialScience developed special sheeting which met this requirement. The result was the 25 mm thick sheeting Makrolon® multi UV 3X/25-25 ES, which can carry a load of more than three kiloNewtons per square metre at a sheet width of 1.5 metres, and is therefore not affected by the high stress levels created by snow and wind. For roofs and facades a total of 21,530 square metres of polycarbonate sheeting was used in the stadium.

Olympic stadium Tianjin
The Olympic stadium Tianjin is characterised by an approx. 13,000 square metre transparent inner roof, which covers part of the grandstand. Here too the planners decided on polycarbonate sheeting by Bayer MaterialScience with a thickness of 6 mm, which has a light transmission level of 85%. The significant advantage is that the sheeting can cover the stands without affecting the growth of the grass in the stadium. The sheets let through a great deal of light, which is of decisive importance in a stadium where football competitions take place.

Sailing centre in Quingdao
Beside the Shenyang and Tianjin Stadium the sailing centre of Quingdao has a roofing made of polycarbonate panels as well, same as the facade elements for the weightlifter and gymnastic hall in Beijing.