Case Study: Arup achieves intricate structural analysis and design for the Las Vegas High Roller with Oasys GSA

Las Vegas High Roller observation wheel – intricate analysis and design using Oasys GSA

Arup used Oasys Software’s GSA to help design the Las Vegas High Roller observation wheel, a 550-foot-tall structure with a complex circular rim, 28 cabins, and a very constrained urban site. The team needed to assess difficult construction sequences, unconventional geometry, thermal effects, foundation constraints, and passenger comfort under wind loading.

Using Oasys Software GSA, Arup analysed multiple construction and operating scenarios, varied member fixity, studied cable pretension, checked buckling, and evaluated differential settlement and dynamic behavior. The software helped confirm the wheel could be built upright with tight construction tolerances and reliable performance, and its accuracy and flexibility influenced future digital workflows within Arup.

Arup

Marc Tatarsky

Senior Structural Analyst