Lansdowne Road to Aviva

The challenges

STRI was contacted by the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company (LRSDC Ltd), to create the design and specification for the new Aviva Stadium and an external club pitch being developed at the Lansdowne Road Stadium site. Working closely with lead stadium architects, Populous, STRI would be required to evaluate the environmental conditions within the stadia to ensure the existing microclimate would be conducive to turf growth and to create the best surface possible, ensuring all year round playing performance.

The objectives

• To undertake light and shading analysis.
• To investigate all environmental conditions within the stadia.
• Produce the design and specification.
• Oversee the installation of the pitch.
• To provide onsite monitoring of the works,and aftercare.

The solutions

Detailed preliminary assessments were undertaken during the design phase in order to determine the extent of shading over the existing playing surface. To predict the availability of light within the new stadium, and to establish any requirements for supplementary lighting rigs, conditions within the stadia were analysed utilising STRI’s Hemi-view software package.

Undersoil heating was installed at the site to ensure that the pitch remained playable in all but the most extreme weather conditions. A hot water based heating system was employed and the pipes were ploughed into the lower rootzone at 250 mm centres. The system could be zoned
to provide localised heating on more shaded sections, and would be operational should air temperature fall below 4°C.

Heating Pipes being installed

STRI’s pitch profile design consisted of a freely draining rootzone material placed over a gravel drainage layer, which necessitated the inclusion of a fully automatic irrigation system. A revolutionary fibre elastic system was selected for use at the stadia. STRI had been assured of the capabilities of this particular grass root reinforcement throughout the duration of an extensive, two-year fibre reinforcement programme conducted at the STRI trial grounds. The capabilities of the material included the reduction of surface hardness, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the player and also contributed to the improvement of both surface resilience and traction.

STRI senior consultants assisted the client with the selection of contractors and provided onside monitoring throughout the installation of the surface to determine the quality of pitch performance. Grass cover on the new surface was established by seeding with an approved mixture containing 100% perennial ryegrass cultivars, recommended for use by STRI due to their high rating for both live ground cover and visual merit. The decision to seed rather than turf the surface was advised as the grass plants would grow directly into the upper rootzone material.

Stadia completion

Following successful completion of the stadium in 2010, STRI was retained by the Aviva Stadium to provide consultancy and turfgrass management services. Over the last year, STRI consultants have ensured that the pitch is in the best condition possible for all sports, minimising the potential risk to the surface during concerts, undertaken regular performance criteria testing at the site and managed the limitations imposed by the stadia environment.

The results

• Successful delivery of a world class pitch and multi-purpose venue.
• The creation of a state-of-the-art new national stadium in Ireland.
• Former Ireland rugby captain Keith Wood described the new stadium as being “amazing”.