Layher brings the slopes to Moscow

16 February 2009

Sections of the scaffold support were constructed on the ground and lifted into place by crane.

Early in January, to advertise the 2014 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Sochi, Russia, 14 world class skiers and two invited Russian champions took part in a downhill slalom on a man-made slope erected in front of the Moscow State University.

The moveable ski ramp is 37 m wide, 150 m long and at a height of 150 m is the highest ever constructed. It is supported on Layher Allround scaffolding.

The scaffolding system for the ski ramp, which will also be used in February and March in other freestyle and snowboard competitions, had to be quick to assemble and dismantle, and yet very strong.

The strength of the system was important because the ski ramp was built on high ground and exposed to high wind loads. There were also stringent requirements placed on the design snow load for every snow type. This load was 1000 kg/m², and required a very small and more expensive grid configuration of 1.09 by 2.07 m.

Layher Allround connection system is designed so that one connector can make up to eight connections with variable angles on a single plane. In order to build the structure with a larger grid size of 2.07 by 2.07 m, Layher's planners halved the load introduction surface by inserting double rosettes in the transverse direction, i.e. two Allround standards, each connected using a double wedge coupler. To pass the loads from the ramp superstructure into these standards, a special part was designed and manufactured.

To complete the project 1300 tons of material was required at short notice. Layher's flexible production capacities and stock levels enabled the company to deliver within the time frame.

Soon after the order was placed, nearly 70 trucks set off from Güglingen in Swabia for the Russian capital, where more than 40 men worked for less than two months, starting in early November, to assemble the ski ramp on schedule. Entire sections were preassembled on the ground and fitted to the structure using a crane.

Layher couldn't, however, manage the weather - so the customers used snow from Siberia, brought to Moscow in around 100 trucks from the Kemerovo region 3500 km away.