BURJ KHALIFA (DUBAI, UAE)
“What is the tallest building in the world?”
You have asked this simple question from your
friends or someone might have asked this from
you. So, if the answer was ’Burj Khalifa’, yes, it is
correct.
Burj Khalifa or Burj Dubai has been the world’s
tallest structure since 2009. Its total height (height
to tip) is 829.8m (2723 feet) and roof height (architectural
height) is 828m (2717 feet). Construction
of Burj Khalifa began in January 2004 and opened
in January 2010. Its exterior was completed in
2009.
Burj Khalifa was designed by Adrian Smith
from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); the same
responsible for the design of ‘One World Centre’
and ‘Willis Tower’. The structure was engineered
by Bill Baker from SOM.
Burj Khalifa has 163 storeys and it is recognized
as a mixed-use building. The purpose of
constructing this skyscraper was to gain international
recognition for Dubai and diversify from its
oil-based economy. Burj Khalifa claims for many
world records including the highest night club
and highest restaurant.
Tallest structure in the world – Burj Khalifa
It has the second largest observation deck in the
world after the Shanghai Tower. When the design and engineering concepts of this structure are
considered, the overall design was inspired by the petals of a desert flower called ‘Hymenocallis’
and patterns found in Islamic architecture.
Buttressed
Core
In order to support the building, structural
engineers have developed a concept known
as ‘Buttressed Core’. This consists of a strong
core with three wings stretching outwards and
each wing is supported by the other two. This
concept was first used in Tower Palace III in
Seoul, South Korea.
The central core provides the torsional resistance
for the building while wings provide
lateral and bending resistance.
It is a known fact that with the increasing
height the effect of the wind is also increasing.
When constructing structures like skyscrapers,
wind force on the building should
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University of Peradeniya GAUGE Magazine