Текст B

EISSTADION, BRAUNLAGE, WEST GERMANY

Part I

An asymmetrical but balanced-looking arrange­ment of masts and cables that cover this ice-skating stadium are visible from a long way away.

The principal cable-supported frame has two steel masts of rectangular section, each leaning slightly outwards and supporting twin box-section ridge beams passing either side of it. The span is 82 metres. The ridge beams have an apex which is nine metres nearer to the mast on the south side. There are two cables at each suspension point except the two central points which have four to compensate for the shallower cable angle there; the cables pass in the gap between the twin beams and are attached to 1.60m diameter steel cylinders which are cut in and welded to the beams.

The cylinders are subsequently filled with concrete to ensure that the cables are properly anchored to them. Twin 200 x 1650 mm laminated timber beams span 24m between the ridge beams and slender steel columns set in from the perimeter; the columns have pinned connections top and bottom to eliminate any bending moment, which would increase their size. Timber purlins at 3.75m centres span between the laminated beams and prevent buckling or twisting; steel angles, in turn, span between the third points of the purlins and brace them. Each 9m bay of the roof is cross-braced with steel flats. Galvanised steel sheet, with a plastic coating is attached to the purlins. Timber secondary roof members were selected being preferred to steel as this was thought to be more suitable for a building in a holiday area.

Two transverse frames, one at each end, are connected to four concrete columns at the corners of the building. These columns absorb all torsion on the building as well as the wind forces in the east-west direction transferred to it by the roof.

Notes:

cross-brace v. соединять крестовыми связями

holiday area зона отдыха

ice-skating stadium ледовый стадион

lean v. наклоняться

suspension point точка подвески

torsion n. кручение

Ответьте на вопросы к тексту

1. What are the main visible features of the stadium?

2. Why does the structure look asymmetrical?

3. How are cables anchored?

4. What members of the structure was timber used for?

5. Why was timber chosen?

6. What absorbs all torsion on the building?