REGULARS: QUALITY INSIGHT
loading simulation supervised by a team of
the customer’s engineers sent from Russia.
After passing the test and getting the
project approval, Palram’s team went
to work.
Putting polycarbonate
to the test
The stadium’s roof was designed to look like a whirlpool of white, blue and azure.
the same time allow as much natural light
in as possible. Not an easy balancing act.
The Russian design team approached
several suppliers with this task, but none
were able to meet the requirements.
Finally, in May 2017 – only one year before
the beginning of the tournament – they met
with Palram’s team of engineers who
accepted the challenge. The plan was to
cover the entire roof (60 000m 2 in total)
with a unique polycarbonate roofing
system – SUNPAL.
The safest and
strongest solution
SUNPAL is an advanced multiwall
polycarbonate panel system that enabled
the design and engineering team to use a
variety of different colours, incorporate
natural light while also protecting
spectators from harmful UV rays on sunny
days, and ensure the structural strength of
the stadium roof.
It is designed to withstand very high
loads, is lightweight and leak-proof and can
accommodate thermal expansion and
contraction. However, the Russian winter is
exceptionally harsh and special measures
had to be taken to ensure that even the
worst of the Russian storms could not
cause the sheets to loosen. To tackle this
issue, the team designed special aluminum
profiles that would hold the polycarbonate
tightly and securely.
Palram installed a mockup of the project
in its testing facility and conducted a
The stadium’s roof was designed to look
like a whirlpool in the colours white, blue
and azure, which represent the nature of
the region and the elements of water and
wind. The idea was to make the arena
blend in with its surroundings and the two
rivers it stands close to. This, of course, was
another challenge Palram’s team had to
face. The colours had to be matched to
specified Panton colours and samples were
sent to Russia for approval.
Next, came the meticulous planning of
the roof. The engineers had to create a
precise map of sheet sizes in each specific
colour and then create unique labels for
each piece to aid with the installation. Once
the sheets were produced, they had to be
labelled and grouped, so that the installers
on the ground would know precisely where
every pallet needed to be placed. The
sheets were packaged carefully and sent to
Russia to be installed.
The entire project, from the first meeting
through planning, production, packaging
and delivery to Russia, took only four
months to complete – a spectacular World
Cup victory. The tournament has come to
its conclusion, but Palram’s polycarbonate
roofing system will ensure that even during
Russia’s severe winters, the game will
continue as planned.
Palram had to cover the entire 60 000m² roof with SUNPAL, a unique polycarbonate roofing system.
www.saroofing.co.za
CLADDING // CONCRETE // INSULATION // STEEL // THATCH // TIMBER // TRANSLUCENT // WATERPROOFING // COMPONENTS
NOVEMBER 2018
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