The construction of the
National Stadium in Beijing, a major Olympic project culminated in the uploading
of 78 bracketing structures which support the weight of its steel skeleton and
the last step of the process was completed on Sunday.
The skeleton can now bear a load of 11,200 tones of its roof and hanging
parts.
Hou Zhaoxing, a leading expert in the construction of the 2008 Olympic
projects, said tens of new technologies, involving design, materials,
manufacturing, installation, monitoring and management areas were used in the
process
For example, he said, a Q35 type of high-hardness steel was made in China to
manufacture jacking pads which can endure very heavy pressure.
The technicians and workers had to find a solution to the weight problem,
when they faced a steel skeleton with a span length of 340 meters and a height
of 68 meters, equal to a 20-story building, he added.
According to Hou, computer simulation, synchronized control and structure
monitoring techniques were all used to ensure accurate operation, even unloading
and timely observation.
