Astrodome: Engineering and Construction History  

By
Narendra Gosain, Ph.D., P.E.

59 years back in 1961, a domed stadium’s 1/8 scale model was being tested in a wind tunnel in McDonnel Aircraft Corporation facility in St. Louis, Missouri. This was the start of the project that was to be known as the Astrodome. Construction documents for this unique project was issued in October 1962 and the construction was completed in November 1964, six months ahead of schedule.  Conceived as the home of the Houston Colts and the Houston Oilers, it was termed by many as the Eighth Wonder of the World.  It was the first time that a stadium was designed for both baseball and football that was totally enclosed and fully air-conditioned. Circular in shape, the outer diameter of the Astrodome is 710 feet, and the clear span of the dome roof is 642 feet.

Tise presentation will provide an overview of the different structural challenges that faced the design team in the nineteen sixties.

This facility owned by Harris County served the Houston Oilers until 1996 and the Houston Astros until 1999. As we all know, the Astros now play at the Minute Maid Park and the Houston Texans play at the Reliant Stadium.  This magnificent Eighth Wonder of the World which was abandoned for several years got a new lease on life with Harris County’s 2018 proposal to repurpose and revitalize this iconic structure.

Narendra Gosain, Ph.D., P.E.

In his 45-year career with Walter P Moore, Dr. Gosain has been involved with commercial, industrial, and medical projects. As an adjunct professor for 17 years in the College of Civil Engineering at Rice University in Houston from 1981 to 1997, he shared his expertise with later generations of structural engineers. In 2014, he introduced a new course on Forensic Structural Engineering at the University of Houston Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.  

Dr. Gosain has directed the structural design of the firm’s prominent projects, including the Restoration of the Historic San Jacinto Monument, Compaq Center (now Lakewood Church), and the historic and award-winning expansion of The Astrodome.

A 2004 paper authored by Dr. Gosain and Kenneth Zimmerman entitled, Astrodome – An Engineering Marvel of the 1960s was selected by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) for the permanent files of the Library of Congress in 2007.

In 1999, Dr. Gosain started Diagnostics at Walter P Moore, which is a service line dedicated to structural restoration, rehabilitation, forensics, and litigation support. He served as the Executive Director of Diagnostics until 2009. Prior to Diagnostics, Dr. Gosain was the Managing Director of the Houston Structural Engineering Services Group.