Blue Devil Stadium Press Box Support Legs Need Repair
The press box that sits at the top of the Huntington High School athletic field grandstand is in need of repairs. The district first discovered a vertical crack in one of its support legs late last month and further inspection determined the need for structural work.
“Several weeks ago we noticed that one of the legs supporting the press box had a significant vertical crack in it,” Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin said. “We immediately cordoned off the press box and called in the architect from Burton Behrendt Smith to assess the situation. They felt it was serious enough to bring in a structural engineer.”
Huntington’s maintenance staff installed temporary shoring to provide the structure with additional support while the district waited for a report from the consulting engineering firm Ysrael A. Seinuk, P.C., which inspected the press box.
According to YAS, “the press box support structure [is] comprised of four 6 x 6 steel columns, 13’-8” tall and diagonal and horizontal steel bracing members. The columns are placed in the corners of the 16’ x 8’ rectangle forming footprint of the press box. The spectators’ stand structure is independent of the press box structure and no loads from the stand are transferred to the box support.”
YAS found a “vertical crack, up to one-quarter-of-an-inch wide and traversing 60 percent of the length” of one of the columns. The four sides of that column “are slightly bulged outwards.” There were no other displacements or deformations found. Two of the four columns have half-inch weep holes, allowing for drainage. The cracked one does not.
The cause of the cracked column is unknown but “water damage and manufacturing defect are some of the probable causes,” according to the YAS report. “As the precise cause of the column failure is not known, we have to anticipate that the remaining columns can able be affected, although no signs of distress were noted during inspection.”
YAS recommended the remaining columns either be x-ray inspected for cracks or replaced along with the cracked one. “Use of wide flange steel shape shall be considered as less prone to water accumulation and subsequent corrosion,” the firm stated. In the meantime, the temporary shoring has been braced laterally to provide increased stability.
“The engineer states that we need to replace the cracked column and perhaps the three remaining columns as well,” Mr. Grackin said. The district is in the process of obtaining price quotes now.
“We would hope to have this work done prior to the beginning of the school year,” Mr. Grackin said.
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