BURJ KHALIFASkidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP

Enas AlKhudairy, Noor Khouri

September 18, 2013

Building Facts

Dubai, UAESkidmore Owings and Merrill, LLP Chicago OfficeEmaar Properties PJSC2010$1.5 Billion

828 m162

Equilateral Triangle140 m

140 : 828 1 : 5.9

500,000 Tonnes

460,000 m2

334,000 m2

111,500 m2

83,600 m2

75%

LocationArchitect

DeveloperCompleted

Cost

HeightNo of Stories

Base estimateTriangle h

Base to Height

Weight

Floor AreaUsable FA

Ext Surf AreaWindow Area

Window %

~140m

Structure

High Performance Reinforced ConcreteRC bored pile supported raft foundationStructural Steel Braced FrameConcrete Floor Framing Scheme

C60 to C80

330,000 m3

0.717 m3/m2

0.988 m3/m2

39,000 Tonnes0.085 Tonnes/m2

0.117 Tonnes/m2

SuperstructureFoundation

SpireFloor

Conc Grade

Conc AmountAmount / TFAAmount / UFA

Steel AmountAmount / TFAAmount / UFA

1- Materials

2- SubstructureStructure

RC bored pile supported raft foundation3700 mm194 piles, 1500mm diameter, 4300mm long

FoundationRaft Thickness

Bored Piles

Structure

Triaxial ‘y shaped’ plan: 3 wings & central core Buttressed CoreIncrease moment of inertia*

Central Core, linked by link beamsCorridor Walls, from central core to end of each wing Terminates in hammerhead wallPerimeter Columns Connected to interior wall system via outrigger walls on Mech Floors

Concrete, 500mm - 1300mmRC 800mm - 1000mm deepRC (est) Diameter 1300mm - 1700mm *Diameter estimated at level 7 at 1600mm

9 m Concrete, 225mm-300mm

PlanSystemShape

Core

Core WallLink Beams

Columns

Floor SpanFloor Slab

3- Tower Load Resistance (Vertical and Lateral)

* provides maximum perimeter for windows in living spaces without developing internal unusable area

Spiralled Tapering1- Effect on Structure

Diagram and Graph Showing Load Paths and Vertical Member Area Requirements

Spiralled Tapering2- Wind Dynamics

Unorganized wind vortexes Result: Reduced Tower Sway

1.5 m at highest point

0.18 % of Total Height

Interaction

Tower Sway

Sway %

Envelope

Double-Glazed GlassDouble-Coated with Low-E 1- Reflective Coating - Gives Silvery Mirror Appearance 2- High-Performance Low-E CoatingConsistent. Closed - No Operable Windows

MaterialGlass

System

We know Double Glaze, Double Low E Coating. 12mm gap (from detail section). Assuming Argon-filled.

Therefore, U-value used is 2.4

Source: Thermal Performance of Facades, Ant Wilson, Director, Faber Maunsell

Source: BBC Weather

City Climate & Facade Heat Flow

Min ave temp: 12 CMax ave temp: 40 CRec max temp: 49 C Rec min temp: 3 C

Max ave prec: 12mm Ave humidity from 59% to 82%Ave sunlight hours: 11 hours

Summer Ave Outdoor T = 35 C Indoor T = 21 CR= 1/U = 0.4167 Km2/W Flux = QA= (TO-TI) * U = 14 * 2.4 = 33.6 J/m2sEstimated Heat Loss per second = QA * A = 33.6 * 83,600 = 2,808,960 J/s = 2,809 KJ/sAssume No Heat Transfer in Winter Months (Ave Outdoor T = 22 C) Seconds/Summer (6 months) = 648,000

Estimated Heat Loss Per Year = 2,809 KJ/s * 648,000 s = 1,820,232,000 KJ = 1,820,232 MJ

Fire & Egress

6 Fire-rated, 2 in each wingPressurized, Air-conditioned, on Mechanical Levels (every 25 floors)2 Hour Fire Resistant ConstructionLifeboat operation for controlled evacuation

StairwellsRefuge Areas

Fire ConstElevators

Additional Information

Condensate recovery system: collects water from ac condensate and then uses it to irrigate landscaping around the tower. Reduced waste water: 15 million gallons of supplemental water per year.

Solar panels: Located on the roof of the office, 378 solar panels, 2.7m2 in area. Can heat up to 140,000 litres of water in 7 hours of solar radiation.

Sky sourced ventilation: cooler air temperatures, reduced air density and relative humidity at the top of the building allow air to be drawn in, reduced energy consumption for HVAC system.Feeds unconditioned natural air to HVAC system.

Stack effect controls: Thermal differences between the building’s interior and exterior generate a stack effect - pressure differences within the building. Burj Khalifa designed to passively control stack effect: no operable windows, reduced infiltration, no pathways for exterior air to reach the vertical hoistways and shafts in the tower core. Result: reduced need for mechanical means of pressurisation, saves energy.

Some Sustainable Features

References & Useful Resources

1- Higher and Higher: The Evolution of the Buttressed Core; William F. Baker, James J. Pawlikowski

2- The World’s Tallest Building - The Burj Khalifa; William F. Baker

3- The Burj Khalifa Triumphs - Engineering an Idea: The Realization of the Burj Khalifa; William F. Baker

4- Design and Construction Planning of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE; Ahmad Abdelrazaq

5- Validating the Structural Behavior and Response of Burj Khalifa: Synopsis of the Full Scale Structural Health Monitoring Programs; Ahmad Abdelrazaq

6- Burj Khalifa - A new high for high performance concrete; James Aldred

7- Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP: Tall Buildings and the Burj Khalifa - INTERVIEW

http://chicagowindowexpert.com/2010/04/22/bill-baker-of-skidmore-owings-merrill-llp-tall-buildings-and-the-burj-khalifa/

8- Burj Khalifa - ARCHITECT OFFICIAL PROJECT PAGE

https://www.som.com/project/burj-khalifa-formerly-burj-dubai

9- Burj Khalifa goes solar; sun power heats 140,000 litres of water per day - DEVELOPER PRESS RELEASE

http://www.emaar.com/index.aspx?page=press-release-details&id=1029

10- Kersten Europe, Plate and Aluminium Bending Specialists

http://www.kersteneurope.com/en/projecten_burj_dubai.html

11- Buttressed Core Structural System for Burj Khalifa

http://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/project.cfm?id=2618

12- Burj Khalifa

http://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/project.cfm?id=2495

13- Top 10 Burj Khalifa Facts

http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-7312-top-10-burj-khalifa-facts-part-2/1/print/#.Ui_kpWTTVqY

Additional Thanks to

Gregory Smith AIA , Associate Director at SOM Chicago for providing us information regarding (via e-mail correspondence) regarding building envelope and performance

William Baker PE, SE, FASCE, FIStructE, Structural and Civil Engineering Partner at SOM Chicago for his contact to Gregory Smith, and for his explanation of confidentiality of information not published