Bejing Olympic stadium employs pipe coupling technology

London - China's centrepiece “Bird’s Nest” stadium for the Beijing Olympics presented a major engineering challenge as the stadium’s systems and construction are unique and the core building systems had to match the design symmetry and visual look of the stadium, while providing high quality, efficient operations.

The challenges included the HVAC system, which features a customised and flexible piping system that meets the irregular structural requirements imposed by the architectural design and stringent safety regulations to account for seismic, wind or other natural geological or weather-related occurrences. A tight deadline on the massive project, meanwhile, required an easy-to-implement approach to the installation.

The 100,000-seat stadium's visual effect is achieved by using tubular crossing steel beams that give the impression of a strong, modern yet natural structure. The innovative design required an equally innovative HVAC infrastructure based on a piping system that was flexible and simple to install at the required angles. The Beijing Olympic Committee and the project’s primary contractors chose Victaulic’s jointed piping solution for the Bird’s Nest HVAC system.

The Victaulic grooved joint system consists of a housing coupling, a bolt, a nut and a gasket. This highly customisable piping solution provides flexible couplings so the HVAC pipes can be installed at any of the different angles and can meet the various deflection requirements found in the Bird’s Nest.

Earthquakes are common, but rarely major in Beijing and the surrounding area. The stadium, like most buildings in the Chinese capital, had to be reinforced to withstand serious seismic movements without significant damage. The Victaulic piping system offers the Bird’s Nest with an infrastructure system that moves with the building to reduce damage and protect vital services during earthquakes.

The special gasket in Victaulic’s grooved joint is responsible for the piping solutions impressive ability to move with the building. Designed to expand and contract as the pipe’s temperature changes to stop leaks, the Victaulic gasket joins two sections of pipe and allows the sections to move dynamically as the stadium moves to reduce damage and keep the HVAC system operating. The joint is held together with pressure from the system’s slot and coupling design, which holds the sections tight in spite of movement in any direction to maximise structural protection.

Workers helping to construct the National Stadium in Beijing, working under the guidance of Victaulic engineers will be able to easily and quickly install the piping system by first rolling and cutting grooves at both ends of the pipe, then using a wrench to engage the coupling and screw in the bolts and nuts to complete the installation. Victaulic helps save time and money by eliminating the need for expensive training in traditional pipe fitting methods.

The Victaulic design allowS workers to install and adjust the piping system in the Bird’s Nest’s extremely narrow and irregular conduit environment. Safety and ‘green’ procedures were also implemented to prevent fire, power or gas leakage hazards and reduce polluting gas and liquid spills during installation.

According to Victaulic, its grooved joint solution takes up to 50% less time to install than welding or flange setups that need professional training for local workers.  The company also supplied its Construction Piping Services (CPS), which provides 3D drawings of the piping joint system, analyses piping system requirements, and helps engineers calculate the required work hours and manpower more accurately.