WHY ETFE CLADDING WAS USED

摘要

Choosing lightweight ETFE cladding (as used at the Eden Project's biomes in Cornwall) has allowed the steel ribs to span further than if glazing had been specified. The material is popular as its surface is self-cleaning and transparent. The cladding takes the form of pillows which are pumped with air to keep them at the correct pressure. They also have the advantage of not shattering in a Wast situation. This attribute is particularly poignant in the light of the original station having suffered damage during World War II and also an IRA bombing in 1996. Hyder Consulting explored other options before opting for the steel rib structure. "We considered a gridshell structure for the roof, but realised that it would require more temporary works than the ribbed solution and would have affected the running of the station," explains Hyder Consulting technical director Andrew Dugdale. "As we leaned towards the ribbed solution, we still needed to consider how it could be built within Network Rail's budget, andtheonly way to do this was to make the structure as lightweight as possible."