Case Study: Tower of Light, Manchester achieves iconic, structurally optimized design with Oasys GSA from Oasys Software

Tower of Light, Manchester, UK - Customer Case Study

Tower of Light in Manchester, UK, needed a structurally sound yet visually striking 40-meter cooling tower to enclose five exhaust flues for a new CHP energy centre in a prominent city-centre location. Oasys Software’s GSA was used by Arup as the primary structural analysis tool to help tackle the complex geometry, optimisation, buckling, and dynamic performance challenges of the design.

Oasys Software supported the project by enabling detailed 3D finite element modelling of the shell, explicit analysis of perforations, scripted generation of multiple geometry variants through the GSA API, and assessment of stress concentrations, dynamic characteristics, and module connections. The result was an efficient, optimised tower structure that combined architecture and engineering successfully, reduced manual modelling time significantly, and helped deliver an iconic low-carbon energy landmark that was shortlisted for a Structural Awards 2022 award.

Tower of Light, Manchester, UK