Abstract:
The Mercedes-Benz stadium, which is home to NFL’ s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’ s Atlanta United Soccer teams has a seating capacity of about 71, 000 and was the first Green Building Council LEED Platinum-certified professional sports stadium in the US. Some of the prominent features of the stadium include a unique camera-aperture retractable roof, a 16-story window with views of the city and a halo video board circling the roof opening. All of which contribute to the immersive fan experience.
The completion of this project represents a coordinated, collaborative process amongst the project manager, general contractor, architects, engineers and the numerous subcontractors. The general contractor was engaged early in the process and assisted throughout the design process in providing valuable advice relative to costs and schedule critical elements of the project. From a Geo-Professionals. Deep Foundation or Specialty Geotechnical Subcontractor’ s perspective, the project incorporated numerous foundation and ground improvement solutions. Some of these solutions included: the installation of various diameter drilled shafts up to diameters of 78-inches and ranging in length from 20 feet and approaching 110 feet. Drilled shafts were utilized to support portions of the main stadium structure and the majority of the mega-columns supporting the unique retractable roof. Drilled shafts end bearing upon the competent rock and rock-socketed drilled shafts were utilized where applicable. Augered Cast-In-Place piles were utilized to support the outer bowl of the stadium with ACIP pile diameters ranging from 18-inches to 24-inches and having pile lengths varying from 35 ft to 150 ft. Augered Cast-In-Place piles were drilled into or thru the partially weathered rock and to bear upon the competent bedrock. In addition to the main stadium structure, ACIP piles were utilized to support the adjacent Plaza structure and MLK Jr. Bridge Re-Alignment. The inner bowl was supported on shallow foundations bearing upon Vibro Piers (aka aggregate piers) or residual soils/compacted fill with over-excavation and replacement accomplished, if located within an area of extensive historic urban fill material. Vibro Piers were also utilized to support the adjacent mechanical plant/cooling towers.
To provide a stable working platform for support of the massive crawler cranes utilized to erect the retractable roof, crawler cranes were supported on crane mats bearing upon an engineered working platform consisting of graded aggregate base underlain by soil cement or cement modified subsurface materials. Additionally, temporary shoring towers were supported on ACIP piles.
Support of excavation systems and various retention systems were also constructed as part of the overall development. These systems included conventional soldier pile and lagging systems with and without tiebacks and MSE retention systems for bridge abutments and walls.