Solway Steel gives 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Pool refurbishment a big lift before Christmas

Wednesday, 21 December 2011 00:00

Main feature of Tollcross Aquatic Centre's new extension erected on 20th December 2011

Solway Structural Steel's experienced team erected the main feature in the new extension of the Tollcross Aquatic Centre on 20th December 2011.  A steel truss measuring 78 metres long, 7.5 metres high and 4.2 metres wide weighing 152 tonnes.

The steel truss now supports the existing pool roof and the new warm up pool roof and allows the column supports of the existing roof to be removed to allow spectators and TV cameras an uninterrupted view of the 2014 Commonwealth Games swimming events.

The truss was detailed by Solway's experienced drawing office team and fabrication was carried out in their Creetown facility.  It was transported to site at Tollcross in large sections (maximum 18 metres by 4.2 metres) on 8 articulated lorries and bolted together on site on temporary foundations and trestles during the last month.

Two 500 tonne mobile cranes (LTM1500 - 8.1) lifted the truss into position in a dual lift.  The cranes were rigged with 165 tonnes of ballast each and arrived on site in December accompanied by six articulated lorries carrying the cranes and ballast.  Each crane will lift 76 tonnes from a radius of 9 metres to its position on the towers, a radius of 17 metres.

Preparation of the site for the dual lift was made difficult due to the wet wintry weather with 1200 tonnes of stone used to prepare the access and support pads for the two cranes.

The truss now sits on three free rubber bearings and one fixed rubber bearing.

Solway Structural Steel and Barr Limited have carried out similar lifts of large trusses at Ryanair's maintenance hangar at Prestwick Airport, and at Aberdeen Sports Village, but this box-section truss tops the others.

Solway are delighted that their professional facilities and planning ensured that another project was raised to the heights.