Structural Lightweight Concrete Supports SoFi Stadium’s Grand Design
Key Insights:
Quick Facts:
- Name: SoFi Stadium and Entertainment Complex
- Location: Inglewood, California
- Customer: CalPortland
- Client: Hollywood Park / L.A. Rams
- Size: 70,000-seat stadium with 40,000 cubic yards of lightweight concrete
Challenge: The project required lightweight concrete for the mezzanine walkways, reducing dead loads and providing fire resistance while ensuring structural integrity in an innovative stadium design.
How Arcosa Helped
- Our Solution: Arcosa provided lightweight aggregate from its Frazier Park plant for the cast-in-place structural lightweight concrete used in the mezzanine level walkways.
- Why Lightweight Works:Lightweight concrete reduced the need for additional fireproofing, offered internal curing benefits, and allowed for greater structural efficiency, leading to cost savings for the project owner.
Final Results
- Approximately 40,000 cubic yards of lightweight concrete were used in the stadium’s slab-on-metal decks. The project also benefited from the use of Hydrolite, a vacuum-saturated lightweight aggregate that improved internal curing, reduced cracking and shrinkage, and saved space at the ready-mix plant.
Key Quote
“Lightweight concrete has a better fire rating for the same depth of concrete compared to normal-weight concrete. In this case, they didn’t need to fireproof the bottom of the decks, resulting in significant cost savings for the owner.” – Clint Chapman, Arcosa Lightweight
Context:
- Considerations: Using pre-soaked Hydrolite lightweight aggregate reduced the need for fireproofing and allowed for internal curing, minimizing shrinkage and cracking.
- Lesson to Learn: Pre-soaked lightweight aggregates can offer not only structural benefits but also logistical and cost advantages during the construction process.
Explore Further
Learn more about how Arcosa Lightweight can optimize concrete solutions for large-scale projects with complex design requirements.
Structural Lightweight Concrete Supports SoFi Stadium’s Grand Design
SoFi Stadium and entertainment complex in Inglewood, California is recognized for its transformation of a former horse racetrack into one of the region’s most iconic developments. Opened in 2020, the $2.6-billion complex is home to the L.A. Rams and features a wide range of amenities, turning the surrounding area into a destination unto itself.
Arcosa Lightweight’s Frazier Park plant supplied materials used in the cast-in-place structural lightweight concrete for the mezzanine level walkways of the multipurpose venue. According to Clint Chapman, “There’s about 40,000 cubic yards of lightweight concrete on the slab-on-metal deck at the mezzanine levels. An equilibrium density of 110 pounds per cubic foot was specified for the concrete on those decks.”
The stadium complex is a key component of the larger Hollywood Park development, a master-planned neighborhood on the site of the former racetrack. Recognized as the “Outstanding Architectural Engineering Project” of 2021 by the Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch (MLAB) of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the project showcases architectural and engineering excellence.
Lightweight Concrete Offers Unique Advantages
Using lightweight concrete reduced the dead loads on the decks supporting the entry walkways and vendor areas, while also providing fire resistance benefits.
CalPortland, the largest building materials company on the West Coast, utilized Arcosa’s Hydrolite product for ready-mix concrete, batched on-site for the walkways. Hydrolite, a lightweight aggregate quenched with water immediately after leaving the kiln, plays a vital role in both storage efficiency and concrete performance.
“We soak the material during processing at our plant and keep it wet in the stockpile,” explains Chapman. “This eliminates the need for ready-mix plants to have large storage tanks for soaking the material, saving valuable space.”
Internal Curing Benefits
The pre-soaked Hydrolite offers internal curing, which helps provide additional water throughout the concrete mixture, reducing cracking and shrinkage.
“Lightweight concrete offers less cracking and lower shrinkage compared to standard ready-mix concrete. The stadium will benefit greatly from the internal curing aspects of this material,” adds Chapman.
Arcosa Lightweight also supplied Hydrolite for the precast, prestressed seating risers throughout the stadium, further enhancing the durability and efficiency of the construction.
Innovative Stadium Design
The stadium, designed by HKS Sports & Entertainment Group, features clear sightlines and a unique indoor-outdoor feel, taking full advantage of Southern California’s climate. One of the standout features is the 19-acre transparent canopy made from ETFE, a durable fluoropolymer plastic, allowing natural breezes to flow through the open-air venue.
HKS described the form as being influenced by local geography and air movement, creating an immersive experience for spectators. “The canopy encourages public spaces to take advantage of indoor-outdoor experiences, common to the region and the Southern California lifestyle,” notes HKS.
A Joint Venture in Construction
The construction of the massive SoFi Stadium complex was undertaken by Turner/AECOM, a joint venture of two of the world’s largest construction and engineering firms. Between them, they have built or renovated 17 NFL stadiums, making them the most experienced builders in the world of sports venue projects.
Chapman adds: “It’s an impressive facility, with not just the stadium, but also 3,000 residential units, 700,000 square feet of retail, 800,000 square feet of commercial buildings, and parking structures. It’s a true destination in the city of Inglewood.”
Recognition and Impact
SoFi Stadium’s recognition as the “Outstanding Architectural Engineering Project” of 2021 by the Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch (MLAB) of the American Society of Civil Engineers highlights the technical excellence achieved in both design and execution, with Arcosa’s lightweight concrete
