The engineering of sports stadiums has changed drastically over the years. It has gone from unstable foundations made of wood to enormous super-stadiums of today. As with many engineering marvels, the initial buildings aren’t always the best. There can be problems sometimes with bridges, building, and stadiums. When these kinds of things happen, engineers look where they went wrong and improve on them. I’ll be highlighting some common errors of the past.
The initial sports stadiums were made of wood. This caused some problems because if not supported properly, the weight of many spectators moving around can cause sections of stadium to collapse. This can cause injury and even sometimes death. Another problem is wood stadiums is that wood is flammable. 56 people died in Bradford, England in 1985 when someone’s cigarette stub ignited the wood and engulfed part of the stadium.
The biggest problem with stadiums of the past was the fencing off of the playing field. Engineers thought it would be a good idea to fence off the playing field, so that no fans would be able to run out onto the field. Not only does it make fans feel isolated from the game, it makes them feel like they are troublemakers and need to be fenced in. After 96 people were crushed to death in Glasgow, Scotland, fencing was never used again at major stadiums. Too many people were trying to push themselves in (while guards allowed them) to an already full stadium, and the people in the front were getting smashed up against the fence. These people died from lack of breathe.
Sports stadiums were not only designed for looks. They were designed for function but they had some initial problems. Engineers learned from their mistakes and are now constructing well made stadiums.
Sources:
"Stadium Disasters." CNNSI.com. May. 2001. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/news/2000/07/09/stadium_disasters_ap/.
"Football fans crushed at Hillsborough." BBC.com. April. 1989. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/15/newsid_2491000/2491195.stm.
It's strange to think that not too long ago (1985) that people were still making sports stadiums out of wood. Even worse yet is the thought that people have actually died at sports stadiums as a result of design flaws and tragic accidents. Accidents such as the one you mentioned where people were pinned up against the fence and died of suffocation are completely unacceptable. I am glad to see that the safety in technology in sports stadiums is continuing to evolve. Hopefully there will come a day where accidents like the ones mentioned in your article will forever be a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to hear how many people can and have been injured due to building techniques. When building these stadiums one would think the engineer would have assumed that wood would have a problem staying stable enough to hold the weight of many spectators. I assume most of these stadiums were built during the time that steel hadn’t boomed yet. Seeing the new stadiums that Philadelphia has to offer seems as though the stadiums that I grew up in is from the Stone Age! The technology that they offer is incredible. Not only do they need to keep up with the society demands of technology, but also the need to assure the safety of the spectators. The accessibility to handicap people has grown better over the years with elevators and chair lifts. Security surveillance, internet accessibility and the amount of staff there is all shows how the sport arenas have grown and advanced since the past.
ReplyDeleteLook how far we have come! I have never even thought about all the injuries that have occurred over the years due to faulty design. It is so unfortunate. Sporting events are supposed to be a fun and enjoyable past time. Spectators should not have to worry about those things. Each of these advancements are proof that you can learn from each mistake. I look at all the large arenas around this area and am amazed at how they are built to accommodate so many different presentations. They can play a basketball game one night, and the next the hardwood turns to ice for a hockey game. Not to mention the concerts, circuses, and numerous other sports that are displayed at each. It is something that most of us never think about, until we look back and see how far we have come.
ReplyDeleteNot only has the technology on the outside developed, such as the construction and engineering behind these buildings. But the technology within has come a long way too. Designers have developed excellent traffic control patterns to help deal with the large crowds. There are fire exits everywhere. There are trained personnel to help with emergencies. They have even started using electronic tickets to help people get in and settled quicker. Higher seats no longer mean a bad view, with the addition of the large screens that display the game from every angle. They have also added sound systems to amplify the commentary. It really is amazing. Just think ahead, how much further can we go?