'Raise the roof'

[1mcavennie]

The foundation has been analysed using various software packages, including Plaxis to prove the pile cap design meets the settlement criteria and Oasys and Wallop to investigate the loading on the piles themselves.


'Wallop' ...really?

Not sure I want to sit under something tested by an IT kit called 'Wallop'!

[dec7000]

Does anyone know whether the front, transparent section will permanently cover part of the athletics track or is it retractable? A partially covered track is, I believe, against the rules as well as being unfair to the athletes. If it's not retractable yet covers all seats does it mean there are no seats on the track?

I'm not sure whether a link to this site has previously been posted but it shows a number of interesting images:

http://www.bimtechnologies.co.uk/case-s ... sformation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For my sins I'm involved in a voluntary way with athletics but appreciate the concerns of West Ham fans.

[mywhufc]

Does anyone know whether the front, transparent section will permanently cover part of the athletics track or is it retractable? A partially covered track is, I believe, against the rules as well as being unfair to the athletes. If it's not retractable yet covers all seats does it mean there are no seats on the track?

I'm not sure whether a link to this site has previously been posted but it shows a number of interesting images:

http://www.bimtechnologies.co.uk/case-s ... sformation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For my sins I'm involved in a voluntary way with athletics but appreciate the concerns of West Ham fans.

The roof along the side does not cover the track, but does around the bends. It is not a retractable roof but it must pass IAAF rules as the main use of the stadium is to host athletics

[dec7000]

Thanks mywhufc for the response. The stadium will be unique in that I don't know of any other full size outdoor track being undercover even just partially. It certainly looks like, as you say, the roof will permanently cover the bends but not the straights. So Bolt starts the 200m under the roof and then gets soaked when he enters the finishing straight! We must assume this has been approved by the IAAF.

It's also possible that the long jump and pole vault which are likely to be outside the straights may be partially or totally under cover. High jumpers and javelin throwers would start their run ups under cover but then be open to the elements!

Possibly not of great interest to the majority of football fans but I'm sure, assuming we are correct, it will generate a lot of discussion within athletics.

[Rocketron]

Thanks mywhufc for the response. The stadium will be unique in that I don't know of any other full size outdoor track being undercover even just partially. It certainly looks like, as you say, the roof will permanently cover the bends but not the straights. So Bolt starts the 200m under the roof and then gets soaked when he enters the finishing straight! We must assume this has been approved by the IAAF.

It's also possible that the long jump and pole vault which are likely to be outside the straights may be partially or totally under cover. High jumpers and javelin throwers would start their run ups under cover but then be open to the elements!

Possibly not of great interest to the majority of football fans but I'm sure, assuming we are correct, it will generate a lot of discussion within athletics.

I wouldn't assume anything of the sort, mate.
It looks to be yet another f/up by our club.
We were promised full coverage of seats. A lot of those seats are supposed to cover the runnig track, including some very expensive ones.
Either we've been lied to or the club knew nothing about the running track needing to be roofless for athletics.

[gavrosh]

I wouldn't assume anything of the sort, mate.
It looks to be yet another f/up by our club.
We were promised full coverage of seats. A lot of those seats are supposed to cover the runnig track, including some very expensive ones.
Either we've been lied to or the club knew nothing about the running track needing to be roofless for athletics.

I dont quite know where to start here. Do you really think the LLDC would have given West Ham the responsibility of redesigning the stadium? "Here'y'are Doris, have a bash at this roof for us, will ya?"

Obviously the roof and everything else was designed by Populous to the specifications of the LLDC which included staging the 2017 IAAF World Championships and a 50 year lease for UK Athletics. Of course its going to be satisfactory as far as regulations go.

Full coverage of the seats is occurring. The seats do not fully cover the track on the straights, hence why the straights are exposed.

[dec7000]

Thanks for the diagram. Are we sure the part over the bends doesn't retract or fold back in some way with everything else being fixed?

[gavrosh]

Thanks for the diagram. Are we sure the part over the bends doesn't retract or fold back in some way with everything else being fixed?

Do you mean the roof? Definitely not.

I do understand your misgivings about it, must be said, but I have no doubt its within regulations. If it weren't it wouldn't have been that great a push to get the roof to cover the straights too.

[dec7000]

Gavrosh, I don't necessarily have misgivings as I assume, like you, it conforms to IAAF regulations. I'm interested/intrigued about the design and whether it will be a part indoor, part outdoor facility. With our weather I'm sure athletes and officials will welcome extra cover!

I would still like to know about the front section of the roof. I have not read anything to indicate it retracts but that may not be the case. Perhaps they should have gone the whole way and covered all of the stadium!

[gavrosh]

Quite a few people (including myself) have been through the planning documents in minute detail and I can assure you that the roof will be as you see it there.

Anyway, as you know the stadium will only be available for athletics in June to the first week of August at the latest so the weather wont be too bad. The community track which will see year-round use is fully uncovered.

[dec7000]

Thanks gavrosh. No one appears to be aware of this and it will certainly be unique. It will be interesting to see the reaction to it when athletics returns to the stadium.

[hammers1954]

Just to back Gavrosh up, not that he needs it, I have also been all over the planning application and it clearly states that the OS will be a IAAF 1 class stadium fully able to host the world championship in 2017.

No disrespect to any one on here, but check the planning application before you make accusations that the club have f***** this and that up. Yes we have asked for certain things in the design that directly affects the club, e.g. dressing rooms, under soil heating etc but the design is down to arguably the best stadium designers in the world Populous.

FWIW I hope to be inside the stadium in July to watch my sister in the Great Newham run when everything except the retractable seating should be in place.

[dec7000]

Hammers 1954 I not accused anyone. The design is unique and will be a surprise to virtually everyone involved in athletics. I accept it must be IAAF approved. It will cause a few eyebrows to be raised though! Perhaps minor but things like one long jump runway under cover while the other is in the open. Same possibly for pole vault. As I say minor but if you are trying to qualify for a world championship final and it's raining then one has an advantage. Perhaps the final layout will be tweaked? A dry and wet track should not be a problem but I remember a discussion a few years ago on whether a totally covered 400m track could be used and the answer was no because athletics in the summer is outdoors.

Please accept I was not accusing anyone but just interested/intrigued with something never, ever seen before.

[gavrosh]

That wasn't aimed at you I'm sure, it was about the idea that west ham are somehow responsible for it.

As it is would be even better if the roof did cover the whole track. As we all know, at the front of the stand the roof offers limited protection on a blustery night in January.

[hammers1954]

Hammers 1954 I not accused anyone. The design is unique and will be a surprise to virtually everyone involved in athletics. I accept it must be IAAF approved. It will cause a few eyebrows to be raised though! Perhaps minor but things like one long jump runway under cover while the other is in the open. Same possibly for pole vault. As I say minor but if you are trying to qualify for a world championship final and it's raining then one has an advantage. Perhaps the final layout will be tweaked? A dry and wet track should not be a problem but I remember a discussion a few years ago on whether a totally covered 400m track could be used and the answer was no because athletics in the summer is outdoors.

Please accept I was not accusing anyone but just interested/intrigued with something never, ever seen before.

It wasn't you mate it was someone else who said the club had "f***** up". Your's was fair comment/discussion over the design.

[e10hammer]

If the roof is to cover every seat and the running track remains uncovered on the straights does this mean there is no need for retractable seating on the sides, the seats can remain where they are looking across the uncovered running track.

[Hampshire Hammer]

I freely admit that I'm not an expert on athletics but I thought the regulations were to do with exposure to the elements so that any records that are achieved are valid? So you can't have an "outside" running track with huge wind breaks round it to use a daft example.

[frankiemac]

the old roof didn't cover ****....the whole track was exposed

why is it a problem now?

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

I had a quick look on t'intertubes for IAAF stadium requirements, the only reference to the roof that I could find stated it must cover all the seats. No mention (that I saw) of the track being covered or otherwise.

[dec7000]

It's not so much about whether the track is covered but more that it is only partly covered. Imagine West Ham playing when some of the pitch is covered and the rest open to the elements. I'm sure it would cause much debate.

I'm hoping to get a definitive answer from the athletics federations and will let you know.