July 2008

At this year’s summer Olympics in China, it’s not just the many athletes who need to be in top form. To qualify to take part in the Olympics, some of the materials incorporated into the stadiums also had to meet exceptional criteria. Makrolon® polycarbonate sheets from Bayer MaterialScience prevailed here with their excellent light transmission, exceptional flexural strength, low weight and durability. More than 36,000 square meters of this transparent semi-finished product was used to build various Olympic facilities in China.

The roof of the Olympic stadium in Shenyang for example is made of Makrolon®. It was constructed in form of wings representing elegance and lightness – the architectural vision in the construction of many Olympic stadiums. As well as the light weight of the multiwall sheets, their ease of assembly also proved to be a major advantage. It was possible simply to place the plastic sheets on a delicate substructure on-site using a cold bending process. For the Chinese, who coordinated all construction projects according to a strict schedule, this was particularly welcome. However, the critical factor when selecting materials was the minimal deflection value stipulated in the invitation to tender. In an extremely short time, a special sheet was developed that met the specifications. 25-millimeter-thick Makrolon® multi UV 3X/25-25 ES sheets, with a sheet span of 1.5 meters, can bear loads of over three kilonewtons per square meter and are therefore stable and secure, even in heavy snowfalls and strong winds. The Shenyang Olympic stadium has a roof and façade of Makrolon® covering an area of 21,530 square meters.