The University of Tennessee: Neyland Stadium

Category
Educational, Sports/Recreation
About This Project

RBA provided structural engineering inspection, analysis, design, and construction administration services for renovating portions of Neyland Stadium, including the addition of 400 Premium Seats, a new 13,000-square-foot Club Level, 20,000-square-feet of new Concourses, and concession stands. These services included the following:

  • Evaluated the condition of the existing structure, including concrete foundations, walls, and floors, as well as steel columns, beams, trusses, X-bracing, and connections.
  • Created seven complex computer models of approximately 25% of the entire stadium structure to analyze all members. Various portions of these structures were designed and built during the last four decades of the 20th century using different building codes.
  • Analyzed all members in the renovated and unrenovated portions of the existing structures to determine conformance with the current Standard Building Code, including seismic design.
  • Determined and documented the stress levels in all columns and major beams to assist the fire protection consultant in his calculations of the fireproofing requirements.
  • Conceived a method to remove all bays of X-bracing and replace them with K-bracing to provide clearance and headroom for the new concourses on the north end of the stadium.
  • Determined how to remove an entire section of upper deck steel stadium risers and raker beams to allow construction of the new Club Level.
  • Conceived a method to add the entire new Club Floor Level where none existed before.
  • The new concourses included large restrooms and concession stands that were constructed of concrete block walls and steel roofs. New beams and braces were added, and existing structural elements were straightened to support these loads.
  • The steps supporting the Premium Seating level were wider and taller than the typical stadium riser dimensions. New concrete slabs were added above the existing steel risers using a method to minimize additional load.

Knoxville, Tennessee