Concrete

The Worldâ€™s Largest Cricket Stadium!

Published

4 years ago

March 5, 2021

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India is home to one of the most remarkable landmarks in the world! Located near the banks of Sabarmati River, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is the world?? largest cricket stadium and the second-largest stadium overall. First constructed in 1982, it had a seating capacity of about 35,000 spectators. The stadium can now accommodate over 110,000 cricket fans, surpassing the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which has the capacity to accommodate 100,000 spectators.

Initial brief

??&T?? brief was to construct a new stadium on the footprint of the older stadium with three times more capacity,??shares MV Satish, Whole Time Director & Senior Executive Vice-President – Buildings, L&T Construction. ??he facility also had to feature four dressing rooms, a clubhouse with 50 deluxe rooms and five suites, six indoor pitches, two outdoor practice grounds with pavilions and a main ground lit entirely with LED lights.??The mandate for this design-and-build tender from the client, the Gujarat Cricket Association, was awarded in 2016 and the project was completed in time for the ??amaste Trump??event in February 2020.

Overcoming design challenges

??ize and scale were the biggest challenges,??says Satish. ??he task of constructing an elliptical or oval-shaped stadium began with the detailed design for architecture, structure and allied services developed by the company?? in-house team of designers and engineers?? Myriad challenges were faced during project execution:

To speed up construction, precast technology was adopted. The entire superstructure of the stadium is made up of huge, unequally shaped ????columns (30 m in height, 2.7 m in width) weighing some 285 tonne. These were all precast as one piece and transported and erected at an extremely logistically challenged project site.
Prestressed cables and PTFE fabric were used for the steel roof structure. The roof has 1,000 m perimeter length, 10.5 m height truss and 30 m cantilever, and is provided at an elevation of about 40 m from ground level. The fabric design and execution teams had to interface for perfect execution.
The site is located 3.9 km from the runway of Ahmedabad airport. The permissible height for structures within a 4 km radius was only 45 m whereas the stadium rose to 51 m. The matter had to be taken up with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to get the design approved without changes.
The site had obstructions on three sides with 1.3 km of the total 2.7 km boundary conflicting with an abutting residential colony, while there was a high-tension 132 kV wire that stalled 25 per cent of the construction on the other side, until it was shut off by the Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO).

Special features

To give spectators a 360? unobstructed view of the field of play and the boundary line from any given location on the podium required much detailing and precision in space planning and engineering. The appointed architects, Populous, developed an innovative design to accomplish this. ??s you climb to the upper seating bowl, you experience a panoramic view of the field of play, gradually offering a vista experience,??informs Satish.

The stadium has many interesting features:

Each aspect of the stadium, like ease of entry and seamless movement of 1,10,000 spectators, positioning of each tier and placement of the pillars, has been meticulously planned.
The 30 m cantilevered roof gives the stadium an impressive and aesthetic look that has been designed on a spoked wheel concept, comprising a steel truss outer compression ring and radial and circumferential cables with a fabric cover.
It is the first Indian stadium to have as many as 11 different pitches with the same soil used for both the playing and practice pitches.
It is the first stadium with four sets of dressing rooms for the players, each with an in-built gymnasium and other facilities.
It is the first stadium in India with LED lights that are uniquely designed and placed in clusters to eliminate shadows of players on the ground.
The stadium?? state-of-the-art drainage system can remove rainwater within 30 minutes of the rain stopping.

The stadium has the distinction of being the only cricket stadium in the country to be awarded the Gold Green Building rating by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). The award recognises the various green features of the stadium, like the 100 per cent LED lighting to reduce energy consumption, rainwater harvesting capacity of 3.2 million litre per day, potable water saving of 1.2 million litre every year and onsite sewage treatment plant of 1 mld capacity to treat and reuse 100 per cent wastewater for landscaping and flushing requirements.

Machinery and materials used

??ithout equipment, lifting tools and tackles, precast and structural erection was a dream!??says Satish. Some major equipment used included self-propelled modular trailers, crawler cranes in various sizes and 52 hydraulic jacks to lift the cable net structure for the roof (all at a time).

Specially designed self- compacted concrete (SSC) was used to avoid the use of vibrators and to assure quality. A special type of cable net was used on the roof that did not have any mechanical cantilever structure; the PTFE fabric was placed in a 30 m cantilever.

Safety measures

At peak time, L&T had almost 4,500 workmen onsite in addition to over 150 engineers, designers and architects. To ensure the safety of workmen and employees while working at heights and in precariously positioned spaces and safe crane movement along the high-tension line, the following measures were taken:

A safety height simulation with BIM 360 modelling was developed to monitor and control the height at which work was happening at the upper bowl.
Fall protection at a height of 30 m with CCTV monitoring was installed.
Fire load calculations were done at all facilities with independent assessment and fire-fighting equipment installed as per the fire load.
The entire site was monitored using CCTV cameras and the footage helped the team to monitor safety measures by zooming into certain sections to check safety railings, safety nets on the staging and other aspects.

How technology helped with the construction challenge!

The elliptical or oval shape of the stadium posed certain engineering challenges as the precast erection had two radii. Coordination of the MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) works with the civil and structural works was a huge task to address. The team used building information modelling (BIM) software, SYNCRO, to execute this successfully.

– PRAHARSHI SAXENA

Concrete

Global Start-Up Challenge Launched to Drive Net Zero Concrete Solutions

Innovandi Open Challenge aims to connect start-ups with GCCA members to develop innovations

Published

10 hours ago

February 21, 2025

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Start-ups worldwide are invited to contribute to the global cement and concrete industry’s efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and combat climate change. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and its members are calling for applicants for the Innovandi Open Challenge 2025.

Now in its fourth year, the Innovandi Open Challenge aims to connect start-ups with GCCA members to develop innovations that help decarbonise the cement and concrete industry.

The challenge is seeking start-ups working on next-generation materials for net-zero concrete, such as low-carbon admixtures, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), activators, or binders. Innovations in these areas could help reduce the carbon-intensive element of cement, clinker, and integrate cutting-edge materials to lower CO2 emissions.

Thomas Guillot, GCCA’s Chief Executive, stated, “Advanced production methods are already decarbonising cement and concrete worldwide. Through the Innovandi Open Challenge, we aim to accelerate our industry’s progress towards net-zero concrete.”

Concrete is the second most widely used material on Earth, and its decarbonisation is critical to achieving net-zero emissions across the global construction sector.

Concrete

StarBigBloc Acquires Land for AAC Blocks Greenfield Facility in Indore

The company introduced NXTGRIP Tile Adhesives alongside its trusted NXTFIX and NXTPLAST brands.

Published

2 days ago

February 19, 2025

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StarBigBloc Building Material, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BigBloc Construction, one of the largest manufacturers of Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) Blocks, Bricks and ALC Panels in India has acquired land for setting up a green field facility for AAC Blocks in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Company has purchased approx. 57,500 sq. mts. land at Khasra No. 382, 387, 389/2, Gram Nimrani, Tehsil Kasrawad, District – Khargone, Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of AAC Blocks business expansion in central India. The total consideration for the land deal is Rs 60 million and Stamp duty.

StarBigBloc Building Material Ltd currently operates one plant at Kheda near Ahmedabad with an installed capacity of 250,000 cubic meters per annum, serving most part of Gujarat, upto Udaipur in Rajasthan, and till Indore in Madhya Pradesh. The capacity utilisation at Starbigbloc Building Material Ltd for the third quarter was 75 per cent. The planned expansion will enable the company to establish a stronger presence in Madhya Pradesh and surrounding regions. Reaffirming its commitment to the Green Initiative, it has also installed a 800 KW solar rooftop power project — a significant step toward sustainability and lowering its carbon footprint.

Narayan Saboo, Chairman, Bigbloc Construction said “The AAC block industry is set to play a pivotal role in India’s construction sector, and our company is ready for a significant leap forward. The proposed expansion in Indore, Madhya Pradesh aligns with our growth strategy, focusing on geographic expansion, R&D investments, product diversification, and strategic branding and marketing initiatives to enhance visibility, increase market share, and strengthen stakeholder trust.”

Bigbloc Construction has recently expanded into construction chemicals with Block Jointing Mortar, Ready Mix Plaster, and Tile Adhesives, tapping into high-demand segments. The company introduced NXTGRIP Tile Adhesives alongside its trusted NXTFIX and NXTPLAST brands, ensuring superior bonding, strength, and performance.

In May 2024, the board of directors approved fund-raising through SME IPO or Preferential issue to support expansion plans of Starbigboc Building Material subject to requisite approvals and market conditions, Starbigboc Building Material aims to expand its production capacity from current 250,000 cubic meters per annum to over 1.2 million cubic meters per annum in the next 4-5 years. Company is targeting revenues of Rs 4.28 billion by FY27-28, with an expected EBITDA of Rs 1.25 billion and net profit of Rs 800 million. In FY23-24, the company reported revenues of Rs 940.18 million, achieving a revenue CAGR of over 21 per cent in the last four years.

Incorporated in 2015, BigBloc Construction is one of the largest and only listed AAC block manufacturer in India, with a 1.3 million cbm annual capacity across plants in Gujarat (Kheda, Umargaon, Kapadvanj) and Maharashtra (Wada). The company, which markets its products under the ‘NXTBLOC’ brand, is one of the few in the AAC industry to generate carbon credits. With over 2,000 completed projects and 1,500+ in the pipeline, The company’s clients include Lodha, Adani Realty, IndiaBulls Real Estate, DB Realty, Prestige, Piramal, Oberoi Realty, Tata Projects, Shirke Group, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Raheja, PSP Projects, L&T, Sunteck, Dosti Group, Purvankara Ltd, DY Patil, Taj Hotels, Godrej Properties, Torrent Pharma, GAIL among others.

Concrete

World Cement Association Calls for Industry Action

The cement industry is responsible for 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions

Published

3 days ago

February 18, 2025

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The cement industry is responsible for 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions—a staggering figure that demands urgent action, particularly as 2024 marked the first year the planet surpassed the 1.5°C global warming limit. Recognising this critical juncture, the World Cement Association (WCA) has released a landmark White Paper, “Long-Term Forecast for Cement and Clinker Demand”, which projects a sharp decline in long-term cement and clinker demand. By 2050, annual clinker production is expected to fall below 1 Gt from its current level of 2.4 Gt, with far-reaching implications for global carbon emissions and the viability of carbon capture projects.

WCA CEO Ian Riley underscores the complexity of this challenge:
“Carbon capture remains a vital tool for tackling emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like cement. However, flawed demand assumptions and the fragmented nature of cement production globally could undermine the feasibility of such projects. Industry stakeholders must rethink their strategies and embrace innovative, sustainable practices to achieve meaningful emissions reductions.”

Key Findings from the WCA White Paper
The WCA White Paper provides a comprehensive roadmap for the industry’s decarbonisation journey, highlighting the following critical insights:
1. Declining Cement and Clinker Demand: Global cement demand is expected to drop to approximately 3 billion tonnes annually by 2050, while clinker demand could decline even more steeply, reaching just 1.5 billion tonnes annually.
2. Implications for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): With reduced clinker production, the need for CCS is expected to decline, necessitating a shift in investment and policy priorities.
3. Alternative Materials and Clinker-Free Technologies: These innovations hold transformative potential for reshaping demand patterns and cutting emissions.
4. Supply Chain Optimisation: Enhancing logistics and reducing waste are key strategies for adapting to evolving market dynamics.

A Path to Lower Emissions
Clinker production, the largest source of CO2 emissions in cement manufacturing, generates one-third of emissions from fuel combustion and two-thirds from limestone decomposition. According to our white paper, transitioning to lower-carbon fuels could reduce specific fuel emissions per tonne of clinker by nearly 70% by 2050. Overall CO2 emissions from cement production are forecast to decline from 2.4 Gt in 2024 to less than 1 Gt by 2050, even before factoring in carbon capture technologies.

Ian Riley emphasised: “This white paper provides actionable insights to help the cement industry accelerate its decarbonisation journey. By prioritising innovation and collaboration, the industry can achieve substantial emissions reductions and align with global climate goals.”