Robert Morris plans to reinflate collapsed golf dome at sports complex
Robert Morris University is planning to reinflate the collapsed golf dome at its Island Sports Complex on Neville Island.
The dome took 45 seconds to fall to the ground on June 1 when strong winds tore the fabric from one of six panels. The tear caused the air pressure inside the dome to drop quickly. Several people inside escaped without injury.
Jonathan Potts, Robert Morris' senior director of public relations, said the university's insurance will cover whatever the costs are to repair and reinflate the 12-year-old dome. The school does not have an estimate for when the dome will be open to the public again but said the project will take three to four weeks from the time construction begins.
When inflated, the dome measures 240 feet wide by 350 feet long and stands 70 feet tall.
Bob Jessome of Worldwide Air Structure Assistance Inc., who oversaw the dome's initial installation, will oversee the restoration.
Jessome said that while there are punctures in various parts of the fabric from where the dome came down, there is likely not any other major damage.
“Typically when a dome comes down — and it's not very often — and the damage is that contained to one area, the dome loses so much air pressure so fast that the likelihood of significant structural damage anywhere else is very, very limited,” Jessome said.
The storm that damaged the structure has been confirmed as a microburst, a meteorologic phenomenon that occurs when thunderstorms or heavy rains push strong winds to the ground.
“Structures that have taken comparable winds in the past might not be able to take this wind because the angle could be just right to push something down or tear something,” said Rich Kane, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Moon.
The microburst's high winds tore the fabric on one panel from its cable-and-frame support, Robert Morris reported in a news release, adding that the dome received excellent ratings when it was inspected in August 2011.
Kane, who did a damage survey on Neville Island immediately after the storm hit, said the dome panel had been torn along its seams, demonstrating the strength of its Tedlar fabric.
“This had already gone through several thunderstorms and high-wind warnings,” Kane said. “I don't know if there's anything structurally or engineering-wise you can do to bolster that.”
Jessome said most domes are designed to withstand 90 mph straight-line winds.
“A phenomenon such as the one we had at Robert Morris with microbursts is outside the design parameters,” he said.
Adam Wagner is a news intern for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7956 or adamwagner@tribweb.com.
