Category Archives: Athletics/Sport/رياضة

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ICC 300 Bleachers, Folding Seating, Grandstands

COMPLETE MONOGRAPH: 2024 GROUP A PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES

“View of the Colosseum” 1747 Giovanni Paolo Panini

 

Play is the making of civilization—how one plays the game

more to the point than whether the game is won or lost.

 

The purpose of this standard is to establish the minimum requirements to safeguard health, safety and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities, stability and safety to life and property relative to the construction, alteration, repair, operation and maintenance of new and existing temporary and permanent bench bleacher, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands.  This standard is intended for adoption by government agencies and organizations setting model codes to achieve uniformity in technical design criteria in building codes and other regulations.

FREE ACCESS: Standard on Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, and Grandstands

We are tracking the changes in the transcripts linked below:

ICC 300-2020 edition Public Input Agenda – January 2022

ICC 300-2017 edition Public Comment Draft – October 2017

Consensus Committee on Bleacher Safety (IS-BLE)

This title is on the standing agenda of our Sport, Olahraga (Indonesian), رياضة (Arabic), colloquia.   You are welcomed to join us any day at with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

Virtual reality technology in evacuation simulation of sport stadiums

National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security

Code of Practice for Emergency Sound Systems at Sports Venues

 


Posted December 6, 2019

At the April International Code Council Group A Hearings there were three candidate code changes related to the safety standard of care for athletic venues:

E104-18 (§ 1017 regarding exit travel distances) | PDF Page 218 of the Complete Monograph

F9-18 (§ 304 regarding spaces under bleachers) | PDF Page 1021 of the Complete Monograph

F135-18 (§ 907 regarding communication systems for open air bleachers) | PDF Page 1296 of the Complete Monograph

These concepts will likely be coordinated with another ICC regulatory product — ICC 300 – Standard on Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, and Grandstands — covered here previously.   ICC 300 is a separate document but some of the safety concepts track through both.

The ICC Public Comment Hearings on Group A comments in Richmond Virginia ended a few days ago (CLICK HERE).   The balloting is being processed by the appropriate committee and will be released soon.  For the moment, we are happy to walk through the proposed changes – that will become part of the 2021 International Building Code — any day at 11 AM Eastern time.   We will walk through all athletic and recreation enterprise codes and standards on Friday, November 2nd, 11 AM Eastern time.   For access to either teleconference, click on the LIVE Link at the upper right corner of our home page.

Issue: [15-283]

Category: Athletics & Recreation, Architectural, Public Safety

Contact: Mike Anthony, Richard Robben, Jack Janveja

Link to our ICC Workspace

LEARN MORE:

 


Posted October 19, 2017

The International Code Council has launched a new revision cycle for its consensus document — ICC 300 – Standard on Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, and Grandstands.  The purpose of the effort is the development of appropriate, reasonable, and enforceable model health and safety provisions for new and existing installations of all types of bleachers and bleacher-type seating, including fixed and folding bleachers for indoor, outdoor, temporary, and permanent installations. Such provisions would serve as a model for adoption and use by enforcement agencies at all levels of government in the interest of national uniformity.

Comments are due December 4th.  The document is free.  You may obtain an electronic copy from: https://www.iccsafe.org/codes-techsupport/standards/is-ble/.  Comments may be sent to Edward Wirtschoreck, (888) 422-7233, ewirtschoreck@iccsafe with copy to psa@ansi.org)

* With some authority, we can claim that without Standards Michigan, many education industry trade associations would not be as involved in asserting the interest of facility managers in global consensus standards development processes.   See ABOUT.   

Water Safety & Sustainability

AWWA COMMENT PERIOD ON AWWA G480, Water Conservation and Efficiency Program Operation and Management Closes June 23

Harvard University Art Museum | In the Sierras, Lake Tahoe | Albert Bierstadt

The American Water Works Association is one of the first names in accredited standards developers that administer leading practice discovery in backflow prevention consensus documents; usually referenced in local and state building codes; and also in education facility design guidelines and construction specifications.

The original University of Michigan standards enterprise gave highest priority to backflow standards because of their central importance of backflow management to education communities; especially large research universities nested within a municipal water system.  Backflow prevention; an unseen technology that assures a safe drinking water supply by keeping water running in one direction by maintaining pressure differences.  Analogous to the way we want electrical current to run in one direction, failure of backflow prevention technology poses a near-instantaneous health risk for the contamination of potable water supplies with foul water.  In the most obvious case, a toilet flush cistern and its water supply must be isolated from the toilet bowl.  In a less obvious case, but at greater scale, a damaged backflow prevention technology at a university research building can contaminate an host-community potable water supply.

There are other ANSI accredited standards developers in the backflow prevention technology space — the International Code Council, the IAPMO Group and ASSE International — for example.

Backflow Preventer

At the moment no AWWA redlines relevant to our objective are open for consultation.  Several relatively stabilized product standards are marked up but none dealing specifically with interoperability issues.  When they are uploaded you may access them at the link below:

AWWA Standards Public Comment Home Page

Students and Young Professionals

AWWA is the first name in US-based water standards so we maintain the AWWA catalog on our Plumbing & Water colloquia.   See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Issue: [11-57]

Category: Water Safety, Plumbing, Mechanical

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Richard Robben, Steve Snyder, Larry Spielvogel

 


LEARN MORE

Workspace / AWWA

 

Swimming Pool Dimensions and Construction

University of Michigan | Washtenaw County

About Last Night: #Paris2024

A standard Olympic-sized swimming pool is defined by the following dimensions:

  • Length: 50 meters
  • Width: 25 meters
  • Depth: A minimum of 2 meters
  • Lanes: 10 lanes, each 2.5 meters wide

The total area of the pool is therefore 1,250 square meters, and it holds approximately 2,500 cubic meters (or 2.5 million liters) of water.

https://standardsmichigan.com/australia/

The organization that sets the standards for Olympic-sized pools is the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) — now World Aquatics — the governing body for swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, and open water swimming. FINA establishes the regulations for the dimensions and equipment of competition pools used in international events, including the Olympic Games.

The top ten universities that have produced Olympic champion:

  1. University of Southern California (USC)
  2. Stanford University
  3. University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
  4. University of Florida
  5. University of Texas at Austin
  6. University of Michigan – Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.
  7. Indiana University
  8. Auburn University
  9. University of Georgia
  10. University of Arizona

News:

Swim Swam: 2024 Pool “Slow” and not setting records

Paris Olympics swimmers noticing pool is ‘slow’ 

Pool, Spa & Recreational Waters

Swimming, Water Polo and Diving Lighting

Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa & Hot Tub Code

Building Structural Maintenance

φ
Any multi-story building requires inspection and maintenance of structural steel framework. The steel supports the building’s weight and resists environmental forces like wind and seismic activity. Over time, corrosion, fatigue cracks, or connection failures can weaken the structure, risking collapse. Inspections detect these issues early, while maintenance, like repainting or replacing damaged parts, preserves steel integrity. For student housing, occupant safety is critical, and compliance with building codes reduces liability risks. Neglecting these practices can lead to structural failure, endangering residents and causing costly repairs or legal issues. Regular upkeep ensures safe, long-lasting buildings.
During today’s session we examine the relevant standards with proposed revisions open for public comment.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
φ
No single universal code or standard guarantees that buildings will never crack or fail structurally, as structural integrity depends on various factors like design, materials, construction quality, environmental conditions, and maintenance. However, several widely adopted codes and standards aim to minimize the risk of structural failure and ensure safety, durability, and serviceability. These provide guidelines for design, construction, and maintenance to prevent issues like cracking or catastrophic failure.
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Key Codes and Standards:

International Building Code (IBC): Widely used in the United States and other regions, the IBC sets minimum requirements for structural design, materials, and maintenance to ensure safety and performance.  It references standards like ASCE 7 (Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures) for load calculations (e.g., wind, seismic, snow).Maintenance provisions require regular inspections and repairs to address issues like cracking or deterioration.

ACI 318 (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete): Published by the American Concrete Institute this standard governs the design and construction of concrete structures.Includes requirements to control cracking (e.g., reinforcement detailing, concrete mix design) and ensure durability under environmental exposure.Maintenance guidelines recommend periodic inspections for cracks, spalling, or reinforcement corrosion.

AISC 360 (Specification for Structural Steel Buildings): Published by the American Institute of Steel Construction, this standard covers the design, fabrication, and erection of steel structures.  Addresses fatigue, connection design, and corrosion protection to prevent structural failure. Maintenance involves inspecting for issues like weld imperfections or coating degradation.

ASCE/SEI 41-17 (Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings):  Focuses on assessing and maintaining existing structures, particularly for seismic performance.  Guides retrofitting to address vulnerabilities like cracking or inadequate load paths.
Maintenance Standards
  • ACI 562 (Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures):
    • Provides a framework for evaluating and repairing concrete structures to address cracking, spalling, or other damage.
    • Emphasizes regular inspections and timely repairs to maintain structural integrity.
  • NACE/SP0108 (Corrosion Control of Offshore Structures):
    • Covers maintenance practices to prevent corrosion-related failures in steel structures.
  • ASTM E2270 (Standard Practice for Periodic Inspection of Building Facades):
    • Outlines procedures for inspecting facades to identify cracking, water infiltration, or other issues that could lead to structural problems.

IEEE: Structural Health Monitoring system based on strain gauge enabled wireless sensor nodes

Steel research in the steel city

Researchers Make Wood Stronger than Steel

Concrete Matters

Swimming, Water Polo and Diving Lighting

 

“In swimming, there are no referees, no foul lines,

no time-outs, and no substitutions.

It’s just you and the water.” – Unknown

 

 

https://standardsmichigan.com/australia/

There are several specific problems that swimming pool overhead lighting aims to solve:

  1. Visibility: Swimming pool overhead lighting is designed to improve visibility in and around the pool. This is important for safety reasons, as it helps swimmers see where they are going and avoid obstacles or hazards.
  2. Aesthetics: Overhead lighting can enhance the appearance of the swimming pool by creating a visually appealing atmosphere. This is especially important for commercial pools where the aesthetics can be an important factor in attracting customers.
  3. Functionality: Overhead lighting can provide additional functionality by allowing the pool to be used during evening hours or in low light conditions. This can increase the usability of the pool and make it more appealing to users.
  4. Energy efficiency: Modern overhead pool lighting solutions are designed to be energy-efficient, reducing the overall energy consumption and operating costs of the pool.
  5. Longevity: Overhead pool lighting must be designed to withstand exposure to water, chlorine, and other harsh chemicals, as well as exposure to the elements. The lighting system must be durable and reliable to ensure longevity and prevent costly repairs or replacements.

Overall, swimming pool overhead lighting is an important component of a safe, functional, and visually appealing pool. It provides illumination for visibility, enhances aesthetics, and improves functionality, while also being energy-efficient and durable.

After athletic arena life safety obligations are met (governed legally by NFPA 70, NFPA 101, NFPA 110,  the International Building Code and possibly other state adaptations of those consensus documents incorporated by reference into public safety law) business objective standards may come into play. For almost all athletic facilities,  the consensus documents of the Illumination Engineering Society[1], the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers[2][3] provide the first principles for life safety.  For business purposes, the documents distributed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association inform the standard of care for individual athletic arenas so that swiftly moving media production companies have some consistency in power sources and illumination as they move from site to site.  Sometimes concepts to meet both life safety and business objectives merge.

During water sport season the document linked below provides information to illumination designers and facility managers:

NCAA Best Lighting Practices

Athletic programs are a significant source of revenue and form a large part of the foundation of the brand identity of most educational institutions in the United States.   We focus primarily upon the technology standards that govern the safety, performance and sustainability of these enterprises.  We collaborate very closely with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee where subject matter experts in electrical power systems meet 4 times each month in the Americas and Europe.

See our CALENDAR for our next colloquium on Sport facility codes and standards  We typically walk through the safety and sustainability concepts in play; identify commenting opportunities; and find user-interest “champions” on the technical committees who have a similar goal in lowering #TotalCostofOwnership.

Issue: [15-138]*

Category: Electrical, Architectural, Arts & Entertainment Facilities, Athletics

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Jack Janveja, Jose Meijer, Scott Gibbs


More

Watersport Time Standards

Sport Lighting

Sport News

Michigan State University | Ingham County

Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Skiing Association

College Bowl Games

Fernando Mendoza’s post game interview after winning the Big Ten
byu/justletmeregisteryou insports

 

 

 



Michigan Girl, Our Michigan Girl….

Sport Standards

 

 

Mixed Gender Sport by Design

Engineering in Sport



“Rowing is more poetry than sport.” — George Pocock (‘Boys in the Boat’ 2024), a British-born boat builder, rowing coach, and influential figure in American rowing, best known for his craftsmanship of racing shells and his philosophical approach to the sport.

Winter Sport

“There is no greater glory for a man than that which he wins with his own hands and feet.” (Homer, Iliad c. 8th Century BCE)

A novel smart energy management system in sports stadiums

 

A novel smart energy management system in sports stadiums

Shady S. Refaat, et al

Texas A&M University at Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar

Professional and collegiate sport venues consume huge electrical energy. Therefore, a smart management of their electric energy is essential for significant energy saving. Accordingly, this paper proposes a novel embedded real-time, smart, and active energy management system to monitor and efficiently manage such huge and typically uncontrolled energy for minimizing energy consumption and cost per day while considering spectators preferences, comfort level in behavioral modification program, and health aspects. This will provide an opportunity for spectators to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency while considering healthcare concept. In addition, the proposed energy management system is equipped with embedded tools to collect and monitor energy information for each stadium’s area. The data are processed and fed to the artificial neural network algorithm that is used for managing and controlling stadium loads. This strategy does not require any change in the conventional stadium electrical panel. The proposed online algorithm yields to improve the overall grid efficiency, reliability, and increase awareness of the importance of energy conservation. Real-Time implementation of the concept is demonstrated and analyzed.


Michigan Lower Peninsula

Sports Equipment & Surfaces

Student Membership | @ASTMStudentFans

“The National Game” 1889 Arthur Streeton

 

 

 

Sport is the bloom and glow of a perfect health.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Sport programs, facilities and equipment support one of the most visible and emotionally engaging enterprises in the education communities.   These programs are central to the brand identity of the community and last, but not least, physical activity keeps our young people healthy in body and mind.

ASTM International is one of the first names among the 300-odd ANSI accredited standards setting organizations whose due processes discover and promulgate the standard of care for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of the facilities that support these enterprises.   The parent committee is linked below:

ASTM Committee F08 on Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities

While ASTM bibliography is largely product-oriented, there are many titles that set the standard of care for sport enterprises and the accessories to these enterprises.  To identify a few:

ASTM 1487-17 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use

ASTM F1774  Standard Specification for Climbing and Mountaineering Carabiners

ASTM F2060-00(2011) Standard Guide for Maintaining Cool Season Turfgrasses on Athletic Fields

ASTM F1703-13 Standard Guide for Skating and Ice Hockey Playing Facilities

ASTM F1953-10 Standard Guide for Construction and Maintenance of Grass Tennis Courts

ASTM F1081-09(2015) Standard Specification for Competition Wrestling Mats

ASTM F2950-14 Standard Safety and Performance Specification for Soccer Goals

ASTM F2461-16e1 Standard Practice for Manufacture, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of Aquatic Play Equipment

When the General Requirements of an athletic facility construction project indicates: “Conform to all applicable standards” then, in the case of an sport facility, the ASTM title is likely the document that defines the standard of care from a product standpoint.  Interoperability of the products in a sport setting are quite another matter.

At the international level, we track action in ISO/TC 83 Sports and other recreational facilities and equipment administered globally by the Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V.   ASTM International is ANSI’s Technical Advisory Group for  this committee.

University of Maine

The ASTM standards development process depends heavily on face-to-face meetings — typically two times per year – in different parts of the United States.   The benefit of this arrangement lies in the quality of discussion among subject matter experts that results produced from face-to-face discussion.  The price to pay for this quality, however, lies in the cost of attendance for the user-interest in the education industry.   Relatively few subject matter experts directly employed by a school district, college or university who are charged with lowering #TotalCostofOwnership can attend the meetings.   Many of the subject matter experts who are in attendance at the ASTM meetings from the education industry tend to be faculty who are retained by manufacturers, insurance, testing laboratories, conformity and compliance interests.  (See our discussion of Incumbent Interests)

That much said, ASTM welcomes subject matter experts on its technical committees (Click here)  We encourage participation by end users from the education industry — many of them in the middle of athletic facility management organization charts.   The parent committee meets twice a year; after which we usually find public review redlines developed during those meetings to hit our radar.  The link to the schedule of face-to-face meetings appears below:

F08 Meetings

Note that the August 2020 cancelled but the November 2020 meeting still appears on the schedule.  It is likely that much of the committee work will be done online.

We are required to review draft ASTM consensus products with some care — owing to copyright restrictions — so we do it interactively online during teleconferences devoted to Sport.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Issue: [7-7] [10-32] [13-165] [20-156] 

Category: Sport, Management, Risk Management

Contact: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, George Reiher, Richard Robben

Synthetic Turf Guidelines

 

Steeplechase Water Jump

File: April 15, 2023

 

The steeplechase event requires a combination of speed, endurance, and jumping ability, as athletes must clear the barriers while maintaining their pace and negotiating the water jump. The rules and specifications for the steeplechase event are set by the International Association of Athletics Federations the governing body for the sport of athletics (track and field) worldwide; with minor adaptations by the NCAA for intercollegiate competition.

Emma Coburn | University of Colorado Boulder

The steeplechase is a distance race with barriers and a water pit that athletes must clear during the race.  According to the NCAA Track and Field and Cross Country rulebook, the standards for the steeplechase water jump are as follows:

  1. Length: The water pit must be at least 3.66 meters (12 feet) long.
  2. Width: The water pit must be at least 3.66 meters (12 feet) wide.
  3. Depth: The water pit must have a minimum depth of 0.7 meters (2 feet 4 inches) and a maximum depth of 0.9 meters (2 feet 11 inches).
  4. Slope: The slope of the water pit must not exceed 1:5, meaning that for every 5 meters in length, the water pit can rise by no more than 1 meter in height.
  5. Barrier: The water pit must be preceded by a solid barrier that is 91.4 cm (3 feet) high. Athletes are required to clear this barrier before landing in the water pit.

These standards may be subject to change and may vary depending on the specific NCAA division (Division I, Division II, or Division III) and other factors such as venue requirements. Therefore, it’s always best to refer to the official NCAA rules and regulations for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the steeplechase water jump standards in NCAA competitions.

ASTM F 2157-09 (2018) Standard Specification for Synthetic Surfaced Running Tracks
This specification establishes the minimum performance requirements and classification when tested in accordance with the procedures outlined within this specification. All documents referencing this specification must include classification required.

ASTM F 2569-11 Standard Test Method for Evaluating the Force Reduction Properties of Surfaces for Athletic Use
This test method covers the quantitative measurement and normalization of impact forces generated through a mechanical impact test on an athletic surface. The impact forces simulated in this test method are intended to represent those produced by lower extremities of an athlete during landing events on sport or athletic surfaces.

ASTM F 2949-12 Standard Specification for Pole Vault Box Collars
This specification covers minimum requirements of size, physical characteristics of materials, standard testing procedures, labeling and identification of pole vault box collars.

ASTM F 1162/F1162M-18 Standard Specification for Pole Vault Landing Systems
This specification covers minimum requirements of size, physical characteristics of materials, standard testing procedures, labeling and identification of pole vault landing systems.

ASTM F 2270-12 (2018) Standard Guide for Construction and Maintenance of Warning Track Areas on Sports Fields
This guide covers techniques that are appropriate for the construction and maintenance of warning track areas on sports fields. This guide provides guidance for the selection of materials, such as soil and sand for use in constructing or reconditioning warning track areas and for selection of management practices that will maintain a safe and functioning warning track.

ASTM F 2650-17e1 Standard Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment
This terminology covers terms related to impact test methods and impact attenuation specifications of sports equipment and surfaces.

Sports Equipment & Surfaces

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