We are going to look at the Eurocode standard that we hear here and there in the context of the construction of padel.

A standard that is important, especially when building land padel outdoors near the coast.

You will understand why.

How is a land of padel ?

A land of Padel consists of a metal structure, grids and bay windows.

The set weighs about 6 tons. It is fixed on a concrete support either porous or fiber-reinforced.

A land of padel Vs the Wind

Land builders of Padel have an interest in designing their structures on the basis of the European standard Eurocode 1.

This standard corresponds to wind resistance capabilities.

There are 4 wind zones listed in France.

The most common zone is the 2 zone, which corresponds to winds of 145 km / h.

The 3 zone corresponds to winds of 166 km / h. These are almost all coastal areas.

And the area 4 (Corsica) which corresponds to winds of 182 km / h.

To take these standards into account, the manufacturer must first check on the site:

https://www.icab.fr/guide/eurocode/en1991-1-4/

So you have every interest in checking if you have a project to know in which zone you are ...

A short of padel combines 3 elements

The wind resistance of a short Padel is the association of 3 elements:

  • Thickness of the metal structure.
  • Type of fixing on the ground (chemical anchors or others).
  • Coating on which are fixed the poles of the structure of the court (fiber reinforced concrete longitudinal members).

A design office must perform the calculations to confirm to the builder how the structure should be designed. This document must be available for each project leader.

The essential element: The fiber-reinforced concrete sill

Of course, we are targeting here the structures of padel outdoors. So no panic for indoor clubs.

A structure of Padel must be fixed to a peripheral sill (trench) made of fiber-reinforced concrete. A sill is a horizontal rectangular beam that is supposed to help maintain and support the entire structure.

Fixing the structure on a porous concrete sill is the risk of eventually breaking the case. It's dangerous for the club and also dangerous for the player. The structure would not withstand the wind. The net posts must also be attached to this sill.

Can we know how the land was built?

it seems important at the end of each construction site to deliver to the client, a DOE (File executed works).

This document contains the complete list of used equipment and their certificates of origin.

This is the only document that allows the customer to know exactly how the short that he has just bought, was designed. It will be a reference document in case of problem.

Conclusion

Of course, security comes at a cost. But in reality, having a well-made structure also means saving money in the medium / long term. Builders offering land of padel in KIT or LOWCOST, there is necessarily a wolf somewhere.

The Eurocode 1 standard is also used to calculate the snow resistance of all buildings. Obviously, it will then be even more demanding in the snowy areas.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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