Consequently, the client did not want any
visible splices ruining its vision of a clean
aesthetic steelwork centrepiece.
“We had to fabricate the truss from box
sections for cost and efficiency and then
deliver it to site in one piece,” says William
Haley Engineering Project Manager Steve
Worner.
“Transporting it to site was a bit tricky,
especially through the narrow streets of
Littlehampton town centre, but it all went
smoothly.”
The remainder of the project’s steelwork
was brought to site in smaller sections,
including the beams that span the pools.
These members all have a splice splitting
the beam at third points.
The roof beams were assembled on the
ground and then lifted into place as one
section. A similar scenario was also played
out for the 20m-long rafters that span the
sports hall.
The sports hall is a large braced box with
flat vertical bracing positioned around its
four windowless walls. Other areas of the
leisure centre, because of glazed elevations,
were a little trickier when it came to
finding locations for the bracing. In these
areas, such as the pool hall, hollow section
bracing has been installed within the roof
steelwork.
Accommodation is spread over twostoreys
with views into and out of the pool
from the park, while the south facing gym
and café look out across the beach, with
particularly spectacular views from the gym
which is on the first floor. The high quality
contemporary design is said to reflect the
Council’s commitment to regeneration
through design, in addition to a reflection
of the importance of the seafront location.
On the upper level, some of the bracing
has been turned into an architectural
feature, with rod bracing placed within the
large glazed façade of the gym which, as
well as being positioned along the seaside
facing elevation of the building, is also
above the main entrance.
The upper level is formed with a
composite slab using metal decking
supported by the steelwork. The floor wraps
around the pool and sports hall – which
are both double-height spaces – in a large
L-shape. As well as the gym, the upper floor
also accommodates the two studios.
Working for William Haley Engineering,
Composite Profiles are detailing, supplying
and installing more than 1,700m2 of Tata
Steel ComFlor 51+ decking, 500m of edge
shutter and 9,000 thru-deck welded shear
studs to this project.
Summing up, Arun District Council’s
Chairman, Councillor Mrs Jacky Pendleton
says: “This is a fantastic facility which will
be a superb centre. This is the location that
the community favoured and it will sit well
next to our award-winning Edwardian
Mewsbrook Park.”
Leisure
Much of the steelwork
will remain exposed in
the completed building
Images showing the
centre’s two floor plans
NSC 23
May 18
/Fabrication#Handling_and_transportation
/Braced_frames#Vertical_bracing
/Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Glazing_systems_with_pressure_plates
/Steel_construction_products#Structural_hollow_sections
/Facades_and_interfaces
/Floor_systems#Composite_slabs
/Steel_construction_products#Decking_for_floors
/Welding#Drawn_arc_stud_welding.2C_process_783
/Welding#Drawn_arc_stud_welding.2C_process_783
