Sandwich Plate System (SPS) is the name of a patented structural composite material comprising two metal plates bonded with an

elastomer An elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (i.e. both viscosity and elasticity) and with weak intermolecular forces, generally low Young's modulus and high failure strain compared with other materials. The term, a portmanteau of ''elastic ...

core. SPS was created in partnership with chemical manufacturer

BASF BASF SE () is a German multinational chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The BASF Group comprises subsidiaries and joint ventures in more than 80 countries ...

incorporating Elastocore ® as the core material. The SPS material is a direct replacement for stiffened steel and reinforced concrete in heavy engineering projects. SPS is an unlicensed technology used globally in various engineered structures including maritime ships, offshore assets, buildings, stadiums and arenas, bridges and other special applications.

History

SPS was invented by Dr Stephen Kennedy following primary research in the field of ice-strengthened structures at

Carleton University Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning Worl ...

in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and first patented in 1996. Intelligent Engineering UK Limited was founded in April 1996 to commercialise the technology and later formally dissolved. The first recorded project involving SPS was carried out on the P&O Pride of Cherbourg, a Lloyd’s Register approved vessel in 1999.

Notable Projects

Civil engineering projects incorporating SPS include: * Resorts World Arena, at the

National Exhibition Centre The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is an exhibition centre located in Marston Green, Solihull, West Midlands, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International railway ...

(NEC), Birmingham, United Kingdom * The O2, Dublin (formerly The Point), Dublin Ireland *

Ascot Racecourse Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races a ...

, London United Kingdom *

London Aquatics Centre The London Aquatics Centre is an indoor facility with two swimming pools and a diving (sport), diving pool in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London, Stratford, London. The centre, designed by architect Zaha Hadid as one of the main ...

, London, United Kingdom *Cannelville Road Bridge, Muskingum Country, Ohio *Berlin U-Bhan Bridge, Berlin Germany *Lennoxville Bridge, Quebec Canada *Ceder Creek Bridge, Texas USA *

Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare The Grand Pier is a pleasure pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, situated on the Bristol Channel approximately southwest of Bristol. It opened in 1904 and has been Listed Grade II since 1983. It is long. The pier's pavilion has be ...

, Weston-Super-Mare UK *

Dawson Bridge The Dawson Bridge is a two lane bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. In early 2010, it underwent repairs, and later reopened on December 20, 2010. Dawson Bridge connects the communities of Forest Heights o ...

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anc ...

Canada * Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg * Principal Place Pavilion, London, United Kingdom *

Space Needle The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, it was built in the Seattle Cente ...

, Seattle, Washington, United States in its 2017 renovation *

PayPal Park PayPal Park (formerly Earthquakes Stadium and Avaya Stadium) is a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose, California, San Jose, California, United States, and is the home of Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes. The stadium is located on the ...

, formerly Avaya Stadium, home

San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchis ...

* Philippine Arena north of

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital city, capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is Cities of the Philippines#Independent cities, highly urbanize ...

, Philippines *

Colman Dock Colman Dock, also called Pier 52, is the primary ferry terminal in Seattle, Washington, United States. The original pier is no longer in existence, but the terminal, now used by the Washington State Ferry system, is still called "Colman Dock". ...

footbridge, Seattle WashingtonArchived a
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USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is a stadium complex within Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, United States. It has been the home of the US Open Grand Slam tennis tournament, played every year in August ...

, Flushing Meadow, New York *

Tynecastle Park Tynecastle Park is a football stadium in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, which is the home ground of Scottish Professional Football League club Heart of Midlothian (Hearts). It has also hosted Scotland international matches, and been used as a ...

Edinburgh, Scotland Vessels and assets incorporating SPS include: *''MV Golden Bell'', Bulk Carrier *''MV Star Ypsilon'', Bulk Carrier *''MV Docebay'', Bulk Carrier *''MV Hansaland'', RoRo *''MV Edco Star'', Bulk Carrier *'' Solitaire (ship)'', Allseas' deep sea pipe-laying ship *''

Glen Lyon (ship) The ''Glen Lyon'' is a 100,000 tonne 880 ft long floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO). The ship was built in South Korea and is anchored to the seabed at the Schiehallion and Loyal oil fields in the North Sea The North ...

'' a

floating production, storage and offloading vessel A floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit is a floating vessel used by the offshore oil and gas industry for the production and processing of hydrocarbons, and for the storage of oil. An FPSO vessel is designed to receive h ...

(FPSO), owned by BP and stationed in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

*''

Queen Mary 2 RMS ''Queen Mary 2'' (also referred to as the ''QM2'') is a British transatlantic crossing, transatlantic ocean liner. She has served as the flagship of Cunard Line since succeeding ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' in 2004. As of 2022, ''Queen Mary 2'' ...

'' a transatlantic

ocean liner An ocean liner is a passenger ship primarily used as a form of transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). C ...

References

{{reflist Composite materials Canadian inventions