James Cook Uni scientists to help Cox Architecture cyclone proof North Queensland Stadium roof

Scientists at James Cook University (JCU) have been chosen to help cyclone proof the new North Queensland Stadium roof.

Designed by Cox Architecture, the stadium’s Pandanus-inspired roof will cover 80 per cent of the seating and will resist the severe weather conditions prone in the area.

"Plenty of work has been done to cyclone-proof standard building structures, but this building structure is much more interesting," says JCU's Cyclone Testing Station director David Henderson.

The stadium’s roof is not a typical flat cantilevered roof found on most regional stadiums, which creates more complex issues.

"When you get to looking at things that aren't normal or standard, you get a lot of different types of potential areas of really high pressures that could develop – really sharp edges or big overhangs or things like that," says Henderson.

"Conversely, there might be parts of the building that actually reduce the wind load because of its shape and orientation."

While the JCU team haven't met with Cox Architecture or structural engineers Arup yet, Henderson says they will have to work together closely to ensure the design is both cyclone proof and visually appealing.