Skyscrapers.

To be honest, I don't really know much about Skyscrapers, not as a Structural Engineer. But what do I know a 100 %. So this blog is more like a rant about my interest in it. 

Skyscrapers are super tall structures. You can see it in almost every top cities, I have only been to one YET. It is possibly the best way of utilising the minimal overly priced plot of land in a city. And it has been a game changer since its introduction. It makes the city skyline pretty too, in a way.



A building is considered a skyscraper if it's taller than 160 meters, with more than 50 percent habitable. What this means is that more than 50 % of the building should be occupiable by humans. Take for example, The Eiffel Tower is a gigantic structure of 300 meters, but people can't stay there, hence a tower. The other 50 % could be aesthetics, to make it look cooler and dominant.
This I learnt from the B1M podcast.


To the Design aspects. At a height of more than 160 m, the winds play a crucial role. The wind loads are more brutal as we get higher and higher. Take the shape of Burj Khalifa, it has that triangular shape to allow the winds to pass more easily. Aerodynamics, in simple terms. For huge projects, they even make scaled models and do the Wind Tunnel Test. That is beyond Me.
One article I read about was the Vertical Shortening of a building due to its own weight. This consideration must also be done.

            Even the seismic load should be taken seriously as it can vibrate given its slender nature. The time periods are key in skyscrapers as it tells a lot about its behaviour. I won't be able to explain these a 100% as I have not worked on a skyscraper YET. Stay Tuned though.


I am super Happy I got to see the above photo and many cooler buildings during my trip to Mumbai. The Apple Store gets a special mention. Stuff Dreams are made of.


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