During the preparation of both the Guide to safety at sports grounds - 4th ed (Department of National Heritage/Scottish Office) and Temporary demountable structures: guidance on design, procurement and use - 2nd ed (IStructE), it was recognised that the treatment of dynamic performance in the design of stadia structures and seating decks merited further study. Consequently a joint Working Group was established by the Institution, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) (subsequently The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) and now The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM))and the Department of Media Culture and Sport (DCMS). The aims of the group are to:

• Promote interest in the dynamic behaviour of stadia structures and seating decks
• Review current design approaches
• Review results from testing
• Encourage and co-ordinate research: establish appropriate links with research and testing organisations and funding agencies
• Encourage publication of technical papers on performance, analysis or design
• Review analytical methods for use in design
• As appropriate and, in due time, propose recommendations for design

• the design of grandstands (ie. they tend to be of lighter construction and incorporate longer spans),
• the range of sporting and entertainment events for which the grandstands serve, and
• the tendency for crowd behaviour to be more volatile compared with former times.

The principal guidance given in the Guidance document concerns the recommended vertical natural frequencies and horizontal load resistance of grandstands considered necessary to provide the safety and comfort of the public for a range of sporting and other entertainment events.

In a circular to Chief Executives of Local Authorities, Paul Everall, DTLR, Building Regulations Division and Harry Reeves, DCMS Sport and Recreation Division, have said ‘We recommend that you consider adopting the guidance for the purpose of evaluating new and existing grandstands within your jurisdiction, be it for the award of Safety Certificates or building control.’

It is also ODPM’s intention that the Guidance will be referenced in the next edition of Approved Document A (expected to be published in 2002) as an authoritative basis for meeting compliance with the Part A requirements of the Building Regulations 2000.

Additional Notes on the calculation methods and the procurement of tests for determining natural frequencies of grandstand are presently being developed for publication in due course. It is also the intention of the joint Working Group to publish more comprehensive guidance on this subject following the completion of certain research projects and consideration of any further evidence of the performance of grandstands in use.

Copies of Dynamic performance requirements for permanent grandstands subject to crowd action – Interim guidance on assessment and design may be obtained free of charge from Dr Sue Doran, Director: Technical Activities, The Institution of Structural Engineers, 11 Upper Belgrave Street, SW1X 8BH, Tel: +44 (0)20 7201 9110, Email or downloaded from here

Following on from the publication of the Interim Guidance the Institution has now published an Advisory Note Dynamic testing of grandstands and seating decks which has been sent with a circular to Chief Executives of Local Authorities by DTLR and DCMS.

Copies of Dynamic testing of grandstands and seating decks may be obtained free of charge from Dr Sue Doran, Director: Technical Activities, The Institution of Structural Engineers, 11 Upper Belgrave Street, SW1X 8BH, Tel: +44 (0)20 7201 9110, Email or downloaded from here

The Group has also prepared a form to allow stewards and other staff responsible for events in stadia to record information about any incident involving unusual movement of a stand. The form may be downloaded from here.