The first structural concrete slab has been cast and laid above ground at the site of Al Wakrah Stadium, one of the host venues of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Abdulla Al-Marri, senior project engineer, said: “We have started laying the foundation of 168m3 of structural concrete in our east slab. For this we are using two pumps that work simultaneously, doubling the usual speed. This is an important achievement, being the first above-ground casting of concrete at the site that will incorporate the structural elements to begin vertical construction.”
In total, 55 of 84 structural piles were poured – each one measuring 19m (62ft) in length and 1.2m (4ft) in diameter – and distributed in six different sectors.
The first pile was cast in December 2014, a little over a year since the designs for the 40,000-seat Al Wakrah Stadium were formally unveiled to the public and the site was declared the first proposed venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
HBK Contracting, the enabling works contractor, will now focus on completing the drainage works and excavations around the stadium, and the casting of the foundations to allow the main work contractor to begin its work on the project.
Upon completion, the stadium, which will also be the home of Al Wakrah Sports Club, will be surrounded by a 560,000m2 (6,000,000ft2) legacy precinct with a new sports center and community hub. The precinct will deliver a range of community facilities, including a park, mosque, school, hotel, wedding hall, vocational training center, and retail outlets. The stadium will be reduced in legacy mode to 20,000 seats, with the upper tiers sent to developing countries in need of sporting infrastructure.
