Underground Detention System Is a Home Run for Atlanta Braves' New Stadium

The underground rainwater detention system designed by Oldcastle Precast for the Atlanta Braves’ new SunTrust Park stadium was a major win for the team.

The system included two distinct sites - East Deck Lower, representing 88,056 cubic feet of rainwater storage, and East Deck Upper, representing 96,992 cubic feet. While those sites may seem expansive, the height of cover, compactness of space and need for a 40-percent-smaller footprint made other conventional detention systems impractical, and a cast-in-place system would have added more than six weeks to the project timeline.

The Oldcastle Precast team, led by Julie Bertils, southeast territory manager, believed the company’s proprietary StormCapture system would be the ideal solution for the new stadium. Offering up to 1,260 cubic feet of storage per module, the system would temporarily retain rainwater runoff from the site for 24 hours before slowly releasing it into the storm drain system.

The system requires only two inches of leveling sand under each module. In addition, the placement of a StormCapture module typically only takes about 15 minutes, a significant benefit given the tight timeframe, budget and scope of the project. The East Deck Upper site required placement of 78 modules, and East Deck Lower site required 65 modules. Installation of both sites took just five days each.

Bertils said the system goes “hand-in-hand with water quality, and given its lifecycle cost, is extremely cost-effective.” Made of concrete, these systems have a service life of 100 years. “They are great for maintenance, with access points at the top - offering the ability to walk around inside.”

Although Oldcastle Precast has been actively designing and constructing below-grade detention systems for more than 20 years, Bertils credits the relationships the company has built with the landing of this project. Project partner Plateau Excavation initially installed StormCapture modules onsite for a cistern under the dugout in 2015. The company then recommended the StormCapture system for the East parking area detention system in 2016.

“To have an edge for higher profile projects, it’s important to already be a resource to other firms,” said Bertils. “It all begins with seeking ways to save owners time and money, and they’ll become advocates for you too.” The company also offers modular bioretention, tree box filters, and the PermeCapture™ system, a product blending permeable pavers with the StormCapture modules.

John Osterland, senior project manager at Plateau Excavation, noted that the process to install the StormCapture modules at the site was seamless. “Given the placement of modules in 15-minute increments, this was an extremely efficient project,” he said. “In addition to the chance to partner with the team at Oldcastle Stormwater, we’ve been granted the opportunity to work with some of the best engineering firms in Georgia and the United States. Because of the scope, complexity and high-profile nature of this project, SunTrust Park is the job of a lifetime for us.”

Oldcastle Precast is exhibiting at WEFTEC.17, Booth 244. For more information, visit oldcastle.com