the crane the crane

[sutomcat]

Let’s talk about that latest Catching Up with the ‘Cuse video update. In the segment with Pete, there was more talk about the dome renovation and they showed some video of different areas inside the dome.

I think it is great that they will be adding family bathrooms and bringing at least some of the bathrooms are being made ADA compliant (not sure how many; Pete again had some struggles attempting to explain what is being planned).

I listened a second time.

Trying to translate what Pete said into useful information, I think he was trying to say they are converting 3 of the 4 lower level corner concession stands to make them like the fourth, outfitted with natural gas lines and blowers, so they too can be outfitted with burners and deep fryers like the one in the northeast corner.

It looks like they have done a lot of work already on converting all that wasted space behind the east end zone concourse on the lower level into bathrooms. Unfortunately, that is not the side of the facility where bathrooms are acutely needed. That would be the west side, where basketball is played. No word on any changes on that side, though it looked like they might be adding a small bathroom in one of the corners of the west side upper level (it looked like an empty space with some plumbing).

There isn’t as much space to work with on the upper level because the stands force the concourses on that level to be a lot closer to the exterior walls and we are seeing time and time again where when improvements are made, they are to the lower level concourse. My understanding is that there are power issues on the upper level that limit what can be done as well.

I am hoping the university is able to find a way to make some improvements to the upper concourse as well. It is great to see some changes over how ghastly bad things were but as someone with season tickets on the 300 level, it would be nice if we 300 people (and the 200 folks) could get some love too.

 

[hoopsupstate]

The east side of the Dome is suppose to be connected to the new gymnasium. I suppose they will have to make space for the connection.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The east side of the Dome is suppose to be connected to the new gymnasium. I suppose they will have to make space for the connection.

Not part of Phase I. There was discussion of making the Northeast corner of the Dome (closest to the Quad) the new main entrance with an expanded box office. Won't happen until Phase II at the earliest.

 

[Shenexon]

There is a lot of guess work on my part here, but from what I have been told and understand, a lot of what you are describing is what will happen. The "fabric" portion represents about 2/3 of the roof, so there is a lot of live and dead load on it, (dead load is essentially the structure's own weight, and live load is a design variable. Snow load is often included in live load, but sometimes pulled out as it's own number). The rigid portion is by Sala's numbers 1/3 and therefore, the truss depth will be somewhat balanced. The load is less, but the span is longer which should create a scenario where the truss is deeper, but lighter (thinner) members. To reduce the span, I believe they will go diagonally as the renderings all imply, essentially from the 50 to the middle of the endzone.

For sake of comparison, the Vikings' stadium has one VERY large truss that essentially splits the field down the middle and the framing members attach to that from each sideline, like a ridge beam. This creates need for a very large column element at either side to support the truss load. That was used in the design to create the very large and glassy entrance. We have no real estate for such a structural element to come to ground which is what drove the solution currently being built.

I've been thinking a good bit about the addition of trusses but just can't understand why they'd go that way. They've gone to a lot of effort and money to erect the crown truss so it can support cables that will suspend the roof...but just part of it? The crown truss is in position. Why not just leverage that to suspend all of the roof and not just part of it? What's the advantage to adding more stuff to fill part of the interior space?

 

[orangecuse]

There is a lot of guess work on my part here, but from what I have been told and understand, a lot of what you are describing is what will happen. The "fabric" portion represents about 2/3 of the roof, so there is a lot of live and dead load on it, (dead load is essentially the structure's own weight, and live load is a design variable. Snow load is often included in live load, but sometimes pulled out as it's own number). The rigid portion is by Sala's numbers 1/3 and therefore, the truss depth will be somewhat balanced. The load is less, but the span is longer which should create a scenario where the truss is deeper, but lighter (thinner) members. To reduce the span, I believe they will go diagonally as the renderings all imply, essentially from the 50 to the middle of the endzone.

For sake of comparison, the Vikings' stadium has one VERY large truss that essentially splits the field down the middle and the framing members attach to that from each sideline, like a ridge beam. This creates need for a very large column element at either side to support the truss load. That was used in the design to create the very large and glassy entrance. We have no real estate for such a structural element to come to ground which is what drove the solution currently being built.

I recently watched a time lapsed video of Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium and got a pretty clear picture of what you referenced relative to one "very large truss" coming to ground down the center & the corresponding perpendicular attaching framing members, etc. Your last sentence piqued my attention though. It was my understanding that a significant factor in proceeding with "the solution currently being built" vs. that much more aesthetically pleasing Walter's Group rendering was the dilemma in displacing the football and basketball teams, and the ensuing lost revenue vs. a lack of real estate?

In that Walter's Group rendering that was released back in May of '16, at least from that, it doesn't appear that any similar type "large truss splitting the field" was in that design. Based on same, it appears that all of the trusses extended sideline to sideline covering that entire span, without anything similar cutting down the middle. Perhaps, that Walter's Group rendering simply did a poor job illustrating that?

 

[NJCuse97]

I've been thinking a good bit about the addition of trusses but just can't understand why they'd go that way. They've gone to a lot of effort and money to erect the crown truss so it can support cables that will suspend the roof...but just part of it? The crown truss is in position. Why not just leverage that to suspend all of the roof and not just part of it? What's the advantage to adding more stuff to fill part of the interior space?

I assume it is load distribution and inexpensive translucency. The walls of the Dome are not designed to take that load. They needed to spread it out better without taking up real estate.

 

[NJCuse97]

I recently watched a time lapsed video of Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium and got a pretty clear picture of what you referenced relative to one "very large truss" coming to ground down the center & the corresponding perpendicular attaching framing members, etc. Your last sentence piqued my attention though. It was my understanding that a significant factor in proceeding with "the solution currently being built" vs. that much more aesthetically pleasing Walter's Group rendering was the dilemma in displacing the football and basketball teams, and the ensuing lost revenue vs. a lack of real estate?

In that Walter's Group rendering that was released back in May of '16, at least from that, it doesn't appear that any similar type "large truss splitting the field" was in that design. Based on same, it appears that all of the trusses extended sideline to sideline covering that entire span, without anything similar cutting down the middle. Perhaps, that Walter's Group rendering simply did a poor job illustrating that?


View attachment 181061

A rendering is just that. Sometimes they are not well grounded in reality. That is why people like Sala don't want them out there. Either we can't afford the reality that represents (real estate or costs) or they are not based in physical reality, and set an impossible bar (like the way everyone here complains about not building the Walter's Group rendering). That rendering implies a single truss span from sideline to sideline. The Minnesota stadium doesn't even do this. Closest thing I have seen to this is the new wintergarden at Moynihan Station, which for the record, also crosses in the short direction.

 

[buffalorange]

Let’s talk about that latest Catching Up with the ‘Cuse video update. In the segment with Pete, there was more talk about the dome renovation and they showed some video of different areas inside the dome.

I think it is great that they will be adding family bathrooms and bringing at least some of the bathrooms are being made ADA compliant (not sure how many; Pete again had some struggles attempting to explain what is being planned).

I listened a second time.

Trying to translate what Pete said into useful information, I think he was trying to say they are converting 3 of the 4 lower level corner concession stands to make them like the fourth, outfitted with natural gas lines and blowers, so they too can be outfitted with burners and deep fryers like the one in the northeast corner.

It looks like they have done a lot of work already on converting all that wasted space behind the east end zone concourse on the lower level into bathrooms. Unfortunately, that is not the side of the facility where bathrooms are acutely needed. That would be the west side, where basketball is played. No word on any changes on that side, though it looked like they might be adding a small bathroom in one of the corners of the west side upper level (it looked like an empty space with some plumbing).

There isn’t as much space to work with on the upper level because the stands force the concourses on that level to be a lot closer to the exterior walls and we are seeing time and time again where when improvements are made, they are to the lower level concourse. My understanding is that there are power issues on the upper level that limit what can be done as well.

I am hoping the university is able to find a way to make some improvements to the upper concourse as well. It is great to see some changes over how ghastly bad things were but as someone with season tickets on the 300 level, it would be nice if we 300 people (and the 200 folks) could get some love too.

This comment illustrates the increased opportunities provided by the new dome roof. With the original roof, concession stands couldn't have gas fired appliances partly because they didn't want combustion gases in the dome and partly because they couldn't have exhaust fans. Using exhaust fans taking air out of the dome conflicted with the fans bringing air into the building to keep the roof inflated.

I think we'll see a greater variety of items at concession stands now that they can cook more normally than in the original dome where everything had to be done with electricity and where exhaust fans were a problem.

 

[BillSU]

I did not. I did notice that they have finally started the process of removing the back stays. The one in the middle of the west wall just had all its cables to the girders removed and the metal base at the apex of the back stay removed. Yay!

I DID! The topper and flag were left up for over a week. In fact I wondered when and if they were going to take them down. I have been on a hiatus but I have returned. Since we do not have a camera inside I can't do any play by play for it. (it's all consigliere and tomcats fault - they tried to communicate with Pete but since Mr. Sala doesn't understand or communicate English well neither was able to make any difference).

I noticed when I returned today around 1:30 P.M., the smaller yellow crane was transporting crew up to the scaffold in a red carrier just to left of center and one of the TBL's was being used to transport crew up to the outside edge of the wall just to the left of center across from the LC. The op of the crane seems to be operating much more quickly than Walt the speed of the hoist lines and movement of the boom are quite different. On the way down on one trip two crew were being lowered and the carrier began to slowly spin. Not out of control but gave the crew a nice carousel ride back to the yard.

Though I am not able to see what the crew is doing at least I can talk about what is going on from the outside going in. Maybe I can count concrete trucks so we know how many tons of concrete have been distributed to shore up strength for the Dome and/or added strength for the new concession areas. As a matter of fact I saw one of the concrete trucks just under the over head a week or more ago. So, to keep myself relevant and involved from time to time I am going back to play by play. I imagine there will not be too much to describe but whatever there is I am on it.

There were a lot of crew walking on the top of the wall walk way earlier and now it looks like all machines have stopped for the day and any crew is on the inside of the Dome.

IMO buffalo orange had a very excellent and logical explanation of the old Dome roof and the new one.

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[sutomcat]

Quick post regarding recent developments on the project:

It took a long time but they finally removed the big hunk of metal that all the cables tie to for the back stay over Gate B. The metal that supported it is still there but I would guess it will be removed sometime today (it is already starting).

It looks like an involved process. At one point, they used a tool that looked similar to the bendy metal thing, I think to get the back stay a little closer to the girders, so they could disconnect the cables. If this one, and the one at the midpoint of the west wall are any indication, it is going to take weeks to get the rest of the back stays down. Maybe they will get better at it over time?

You can occasionally see a crane on the dome floor lift a cable and move it. It looks like they are laying out cables up on the 3rd level of the west wall right now. We know they are in good shape on the north wall from what we can see from Lawrinson and that one picture that was posted. Not sure about the other walls. But they have spent a few days working on the west wall...I would think that side is done or close to done now.

I saw a tractor trailer back into the dome early yesterday that had a flatbed it was pulling (actually pushing). The flatbed was covered with large squares stacked up on top of each other. There were two sets of stacks. Not sure what it was. Maybe some of the material for the hard shell part of the new roof?

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[sutomcat]

Quick update:

The back stay that was in the middle of the south wall has been removed. That one came off very quickly. Happened this morning. I think they have removed the back stays in the middle of the east, west and south walls now. At minimum, they have also removed the western most backstay on the southeast diagonal wall.

Looks like the north one is still up. For now. That one might be next.

 

[gocusecaz]

think their will not be lot of work done today. Weather forecast doesn't look real good.

 

[OttoMets]

Quick update:

The back stay that was in the middle of the south wall has been removed. That one came off very quickly. Happened this morning. I think they have removed the back stays in the middle of the east, west and south walls now. At minimum, they have also removed the western most backstay on the southeast diagonal wall.

Looks like the north one is still up. For now. That one might be next.

Yes, the keystone piece to the center-south backstay was removed yesterday, leaving just the horizontal steel pieces for today. Many of the tie-in cables have also been removed, including the only one that wasn't attached to the Dome (the one that was sunk into concrete in the front steps of ESF's Gateway building. And everything on the east end zone is gone as well. But the big crane's knuckled down for today's thunderstorms.

 

[sutomcat]

Yes, the keystone piece to the center-south backstay was removed yesterday, leaving just the horizontal steel pieces for today. Many of the tie-in cables have also been removed, including the only one that wasn't attached to the Dome (the one that was sunk into concrete in the front steps of ESF's Gateway building. And everything on the east end zone is gone as well. But the big crane's knuckled down for today's thunderstorms.

Cool. I didn’t realize there was a cable that attached across the street like that. Interesting.

 

[OttoMets]

Cool. I didn’t realize there was a cable that attached across the street like that. Interesting.

It was pretty tough to spot from the camera, but you can still see the concrete pad: directly beneath the keystone of that backstay, just above the shrubbery by the staircase to the ESF building. It's wrapped in a white ESF banner with green text (part of the agreement for borrowing their property, I guess).

It's obviously different from all the other backstays because everyplace else there's access to a column, but here the column is obscured by the elevator tower so they had to anchor it differently. I saw this mystery digging going on for awhile last year and it seemed funny because it didn't look like utility work. The concrete is poured really deep.

 

[Noexcuse]

Some retro Crane shots from 1979 I found recently. My recollection is that there was no site security at the time and you could pretty much wander around while construction was underway.

 

[OrangeAl]

Some retro Crane shots from 1979 I found recently. My recollection is that there was no site security at the time and you could pretty much wander around while construction was underway.

Those were the days when you could do your progress tours in person - even as my new bride kept saying "We shouldn't be in here!"

 

[Noexcuse]

My wife and I were both in grad school at the time. She was the same way. Lol.

 

[mustacheovich]

 

[SWC75]

I was on campus to buy my season tickets and recall wandering up to the Dome and peering in through a door when a security guard showed up and gruffly shooed me away saying that I wouldn't want someone coming up to my house and peering in would I? I told him the building was supposed to be our house.

 

[SWC75]

When does the new roof go on? I guess they decided it was easier to do the other renovations first.

 

[bnoro]

Cool vid, just wish it gave one continuous shot though, didn't need the cuts. Easier to spot things without pausing a million times.