Case Study: Arup achieves iconic, optimised Tower of Light design with Oasys GSA

Arup uses Oasys Software to analyse a 40-meter Tower of Light in Manchester

Arup was tasked with designing the Tower of Light, a 40-meter-tall, architecturally striking cooling tower in Manchester, UK. Their challenge was to create a complex, perforated steel shell structure that could resist wind and buckling forces while serving as a functional piece of urban energy infrastructure. To meet this challenge, Arup used Oasys GSA as their primary structural analysis package.

Using Oasys GSA, Arup generated a detailed 3D finite element model with all perforations explicitly modelled to accurately understand the structure's behavior. The software's API was leveraged to create scripts that generated multiple design variations quickly, saving significant time and enabling structural optimization. Oasys GSA was crucial for calculating dynamic characteristics, identifying stress concentrations, and carrying out detailed connection analysis, which provided the confidence needed for the innovative design. The successful project was shortlisted for an award at the Structural Awards 2022.

Arup