From a distance, the PGE Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland looks like a crown. Indeed, it’s one of the crown jewel soccer stadiums in Europe, home to Poland’s national team. When construction on the 58,000-seat stadium started in 2008, the ambitious design required pipe-joining solutions that could flow with the building’s unique architectural design.

Engineers specified Victaulic grooved pipe-joining solutions to address the need for curved potable water piping throughout the oval-shaped stadium. The system required specially engineered stainless-steel elbows at angles ranging from 8° to 11°, which engineers accomplished by connecting pipes with Victaulic’s flexible grooved mechanical couplings. Victaulic’s flexible couplings are designed to accommodate linear and angular movement — an integral part of efficiently shaping piping systems. The flexible design also accommodates thermal movement, misalignment and settlement without the expensive and specialized equipment commonly needed in flanged and welded systems.

To keep up with a substantial scope and a fast-paced construction timeline, contractors used Victaulic grooved flexible couplings to bolster installation speed and compress the schedule. Victaulic grooved pipe-joining solutions install up to 10 times faster than other pipe-joining methods and are engineered to create a reliable union with minimal components — grooved pipe, coupling housing, a pair of nuts and bolts, and a rubber gasket. The couplings can be assembled without specialized skilled labor which enabled the PGE Narodowy team to source the necessary labor force to install the expansive system while ensuring their skilled workers could focus on areas where their advanced training would be most beneficial.

PGE Narodowy was successfully completed in time for the European Football Championships in 2012. PGE Narodowy has hosted many world-class events since, including numerous sporting events, concerts and conventions.