Olympic ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: A landing bridge with Cofrastra® composite floor

Detailed information

In 1934, the first 70 m ski jump was inaugurated in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for the Olympic Games in 1936. In 1950, the 38 m high start tower was erected. Since then, there had been no drastic alterations to the ski-jump construction. Upon expiry of the hill certificate however, it turned out that it was necessary to modernise the whole construction in order to bring it up to the current standards of this ski sport. After the traditional New Year jumping competition in 2007, the old tower was demolished and a completely new, modern K125 construction was erected.

Amongst other things, the new development consisted of moving the take-off table 12 m upwards. By doing this, space was created under the upper section where a new activity area was built. Groundwork on the frontal area of the hill was therefore reduced to a minimum. A two-storey judges’ tower with a level for trainers and viewing was erected a little further below.

The optical focus of the entire construction is the 50 m high cantilever start tower, a steel framework construction cased in 2400 square metres of translucent polycarbonate sheets. Whilst the building appears transparent white in daylight, it transforms into a largely luminous sculpture in the mountain landscape at night. In the ski-jump tower head there are media and viewing platforms as well as a heat chamber. It is possible to go up in a new lift.

This new Olympic ski jump was inaugurated at the Continental Cup on 21 December 2007 after a construction period of only approximately 8 months.

Architectural concept

The architecture firm Terrain: Loenhart & Mayr was inspired by the topography of the Gudiberg Mountain and the hilly landscape of the Alp foothills for the design of the new Olympic ski jump – the undulating location gives the structure its unique appearance.

The new ski jump construction combines aesthetics with functionality as different areas, such as access and delivery zones, are fully integrated into the dynamic design.

The style of the new construction is also believed to allude to the acceleration and the associated risks of ski jumping in which the mastery of gravity is the object in focus.

Construction and assembly

The start tower was erected as a spatial steel framework construction with continuous curved flanges in double-T profiles. Overall, 490 tonnes of steel were built in. The hillside thrust bearing is laid flat, and the valleyside pulling-rod with spring plates in high-strength fine-grained steel is anchored with ground anchors.

The precast steel components were screwed together or welded to the ground and comprised of individual parts up to 16 t and 22 m in length.

The extensively clad and completed start tower was eventually tilted up to 35°.

The landing bridge was built as a 115 tonne steel structure with ArcelorMittal's Cofrastra® composite floor profiles, a light decking solution.

The judges’ tower, a two-storey wooden construction with 33 tonnes of steel structure, protrudes 22 m horizontally from the steep slope, has function rooms, and a large viewing platform. The trainers’ podium consists of an 8 tonne steel structure.

Two building cranes (with radii of 50 m and 70 m), two mobile cranes (up to 160 t and 70 m high), three skylifts with mounting platform (40 m, 30m, and 17 m high) and two concrete pumps (with a radius of 58 m) were used for assembly.

Technical details: Facts & figures

Construction data

• Length of approach 103.5 m
• Max. gradient of approach 35°
• Height of ski jump tower head over terrain 55 m
• Height of ski jump tower head over stadium 144 m
• Length of landing area (table to U-Point)  203 m
• Gradient up to 37.2° (76%)
• Height over terrain 14.7 m
• Take-off table over terrain 17.9 m
• Take-off table over stadium 88 m

Bridge for take-off table forecourt with ski-jump ramps and landing

• Height over terrain to 13.75 m
• Width to 19.5 m
• Live load 30 t

Facade of the approach structure polycarbonate sheet 2400 m².
Earth movement for terrain modelling 18 000 m³.

Substructure and slope stability

• Anchors and injection piles with up to 20 m long strand anchors and 12 m long injection anchors 2000 m
• Reinforced concrete 1200 m³
• Reinforcement steel 210 t