Tall Building Construction: Stability, Forces, & Structural Elements

This report provides a comprehensive overview of tall building construction, focusing on the structural aspects. It begins by defining what constitutes a tall building and differentiating it from regular structures. The report then delves into the principles of achieving a stable structure, explaining the roles of loads, forces, and material properties, detailing dead load, live load, and wind load calculations, and illustrating various forces acting on the building. The significance of material type and shape in building stability is emphasized, followed by a discussion of key structural members like beams, slabs, and columns, outlining their respective functions in supporting the building. Furthermore, the report touches on basement structure construction and the steps involved in dewatering, including well installation and water removal techniques. The document concludes with references to relevant academic sources, particularly emphasizing the global perspective on tall buildings and urban habitats in the 21st century.

Construction management
Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Question 1 (Answering)
a) A tall building is defined as a building which exhibits more or less of the aspects of
“tallness” in at least one of the following considerations; i. it is relatively elevated
compared to its surrounding structures, ii. If its proportionality gives a thinner elevation
compared to its overall width, and iii. If based on the building height, tall building
construction technology such as wind engineering is applicable in its design (Ali, and Al-
Kodmany, 2012). A tall building that stands above 300 m is identified as being supertall.
b) The principles applied in achieving a stable structure comprises of loads, forces, material
properties and structural members. Each of them is as discussed as follows:-
i. Loads
The building structure sustains its shape from forces that may be applicable to the building. Most
severe combinations of loads are assumed during design to ensure that the building can survive
such combinations of forces during its life. Australian standard codes (AS/ NZS 1170) for design
of structures specifies the loads to be assumed based on the building characteristics. Loads in a
structure consists of dead load, live load and wind loads.
Dead load= volume of building element/ member being designed (e.g. beam) × unit weight of
reinforced concrete (24Kn/m3)
Live load= Floor area × live load rating of a structure (obtained from the design code- AS 1170).
Wind load is only applicable for tall buildings. Dynamic pressure due to wind= 0.613 × effective
wind speed.
ii. Forces
Effects of all forces acting on a building must be considered and its effects on member to ensure
stability of the structure and strength properties. These forces are as illustrated below in fig a)
and b):

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Figure a) an overview of many different forces acting on a building
Figure b) a summary of all the forces acting on the building.
iii. Material properties
Material type and shape adopted in design is a great determinant on the effectiveness of the
overall building stability.
c) Structural members
These are load bearing elements in a structure hence adequate design must be adhered to achieve
the most suitable, economical, and effective and safety member characteristics. They include
beams, slabs, wind bracings, truss system, retaining walls. The purposes of the ones applicable in
this kind of a construction site are as discussed:-
I. Beams
A beam is an auxiliary component that essentially opposes loads connected along the side to the
axis of the beam. Its method of deflection is essentially by twisting. The loads connected to the
beam result in reaction forces at supports. The aggregate impact of the considerable number of
forces following up on the beam is to create shear forces and moments inside the beam, that
thusly actuate inner anxieties, strains and beam deflections.

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II. Slabs
There are various forms of reinforced-concrete slabs: one-way slabs cast with supporting beams,
ribbed slabs cast with series of joists, two-way ribbed slabs (known as waffle slabs), flat plates
reinforced in two or more directions without beams or girders, and flat slabs thickened at column
supports with drop panels and/or column capitals. A waffle slab supports loads in the same way
well along both axes and is thus utmost resourcefully used to cover square modules.
III. Columns
Column is a vertical component, typically an adjusted shaft with a capital and a base, which
much of the time fills in as a support as well as being used for purposes of decorations where the
column is of non-structural use.
Question 2
a) Part
Flow chart on basement structure construction.
b) Steps to be undertaken in dewatering are as follows:

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i. A progression of wells of required profundity are made in the region of the
unearthed region from where the water must be drawn out. The wells are
organized either in a line or a rectangular frame where the well points are made at
a separation of something like 2m from one another.
ii. Riser channels or dewatering funnels are then introduced into those firmly
separated wells which at first glance are associated with an adaptable swing
channel which is at last annexed to a typical header pipe that is in charge of
releasing the water far from the site. The motivation behind utilizing an adaptable
swing channel is simply to give an unmistakable perspective of what is being
pumped and the reason for header pipe is to make suction and also release the
water off the working zone.
iii. One end of the header pipe is associated with a vacuum pump which draws water
through scores in the well point. The water at that point goes from the well points
through the adaptable swing funnel into the header pipe to the pump. It is then
released far from the site or to different procedures to expel undesirable
properties, for example, contaminants.
iv. The drawdown utilizing this technique is limited to around five to six meters
beneath the well point pump level. In the event that a more profound drawdown is
required, various phases of well points must be utilized.
Part c)

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References
Ali, M.M. and Al-Kodmany, K., 2012. Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat of the 21st Century: A
Global Perspective. Buildings, 2 (4), 384–423.