Burj khalifa

Burj Khalifa The tallest Building in The World
Dr/ Shreef Sheta
Safa Mohamed Al Saeed / Diploma 2012/2013
Mansoura University
Faculty of Engineering

Index
3 Construction of Burj khalifa
4 Monitoring Program , fire safety ,supply systems
2 Structural and Architectural System
1 Introduction

 General Information
 Comparison of Burj Khalifa with other skyscrapers

1. Introduction
General Information
 Official Name: Burj Khalifa Bin Zayed
 Also Known As: Burj Dubai
 Built: 2004-2010
 Cost: $4,100,000,000
 Designed By: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
 Structural engineer : William F. Baker
 Main contractor: Samsung C&T
 Developer: Emaar Properties
 Type: Skyscraper
 Total Stories: 206
 Inhabited Stories :106
 Elevators: 57 , speed:10m/sc
 Maximum Height: 2,717 Feet / 828 Meters
 Total area: 4,000,000 sq.m
 Location: No. 1, Burj Dubai Boulevard,
Dubai, United Arab

2. Comparison of Burj Khalifa with other
skyscrapers
Description
Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made building
in human history, standing at 828m, is
certainly a beautiful piece of artwork,
combined with the precision in mathematics
and engineering.
Different from other skyscrapers,
Burj Khalifa is characterised by an entirely
distinctive facade, with a pointed spire on
the top of the building, accompanied by 26
helical levels. Viewed from above, the
building itself can be easily distinguished by
the special Y-shape of its cross-sections,
with the curves at each ends symbolising
the onion domes – an essential element in
Islamic architecture.
Comparison of the cross-sections

Comparison of Burj Khalifa with other
skyscrapers
Burj Khalifa compared with some other tall structures

1. Architectural Style
2. Structural System
3. Cladding System
4. Interior Finishes

 Design inspiration
 The advantages of the tower shape design
 The tower uses
 Elevators

Flower shape  The architecture features a triple-lobed
footprint, an abstraction of a desert flower
named Hymenocallis.
 The tower is composed of three elements
arranged around a central core.
 Twenty-six helical levels decrease the cross
section of the tower incrementally as it
spirals skyward.
 A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of
the Arabian Gulf. Viewed from the base or
the air.
Design inspiration

 Architectural design
1. The three wings
2. Y shape
3. The central core
The Gradient spiral of
the tower levels
Design inspiration
 LAYOUT
1
3
2

The advantages of the tower shape design
The advantages :
 Foundation : The modular, Y-shaped structure,
with setbacks along each of its three wings
provides an inherently stable configuration for the
structure and provides good floor plates for
residential.
 Usage : The Y-shaped plan is ideal for residential
and hotel usage, with the wings allowing maximum
outward views and inward natural light.
 Nature : Gradient spiral design hinders the swirling
wind .fig.1
Top level
Middle level
Lower level
Tower levels
wind
wind
wind

Tower uses
The Burj Khalifa project is a multi-
use development tower with a total
floor area of 460,000square meters
that includes residential, hotel,
commercial, office, entertainment,
shopping , leisure, and parking
facilities.
9
7
6
1
7
2
11
3
4
5
8
10
67
Layout details:
1.Burj khalifa arrival court
2.Armani hotel entry
3.Residential entry
4.Viewing deck
5.Lake front promenade
6.Tower garden
7.Water feature
8.childern’s play area
9.Recreation area
10.Service yard
11.Office entry

The advantages :
spire
Level 160 to 168
Level 40 to 42
Level 77 to108
Level125 to135
Level112 to121
Level109 to111
Level 76
Level136 to138
Level 38 to 89
Level 19 to 37
Level 9 to16
Ground to level 8
Level 155
Level 139 to 154
Level 124
Level 123
Level 122
Level 73 to 75
Level 44 to 72
Level 43
A
Level 17 ,18
B
Level 156 to 159
Mechanical floor
housing electrical sub-
stations, water tanks
and pumps, air handling
units, etc
The right wing :
Spire : Over 200m long and houses
communications equipment .
Level 156 to159 : Broadcast and telecoms companies .
Level 125 to 135 : The corporate suites .
Leve77 to108 : Private residences .
Level 76 : Sky lobby (fitness facilities, jacuzzi, swimming pools
and recreational room) .
 level 38 to 39 : Armani hotel Dubai .
Level 19 to37: The residence .
Level 9 to 16 : Armani residence .
Concourse, ground to level 8 : Armani hotel Dubai .
The left wing :
Level 124 : At the top observation deck
Level 123 : Sky lobby ( business lounge and library) .
Level 122 : At.mosphere restaurant .
Level 44 to 72 : The residence .
Level 43 : Sky lobby (fitness facilities, jacuzzi, swimming pools
and recreational room) .
 A : PODIUM : Provides a base ( 150m wide, six levels )
anchoring the tower to the ground . Provides separate entries
for the corporate suites , residence and Armani Hotel .
B : Foundation
 Level’s uses

Elevators
 The building is expected to hold up to
35,000 people at any one time.
 Otis Elevators has installed 57
elevators, and 8 escalators.
 33 high-rise elevators including 2
double-decks.
 138 floors served by main service
elevator.
 504 meters – main service elevator
rise, the world’s highest.
 10 meters per second – speed of
elevators .
 60 seconds – approximate time from
ground to level 124.
 10.000 kilograms – weight of hoist
ropes.
Amani hotel : 0-8 level
Residences : 17-37 level
Armani hotel : 38-39 level
Residences : 44-72 leveL
Private Residences : 77-108 leveL
Corporate suites
service elevator

 Structural system material
 Structural system description
 The consideration loads on the tower

Structural System Material
The tower superstructure of Burj
Khalifa is designed as an all
reinforced concrete building with
high performance concrete from
the foundation level to level 156,
and is topped with a structural
steel braced frame from level 156
to the highest point of the tower.
The structure of Burj Khalifa was
designed to behave like a giant
column with cross sectional shape
that is a reflection of the building
massing and profile.
Dimensional finite element
structural analysis model
 Structural material : concrete , steel
 Structural System: Buttressed Core
+ 828m
+ 585.7m
- 3.7m

Mat foundation
Concrete
structure

steel structure from
level 156 to the top

Structural system description
Structural system in general :
These corridor walls and hammerhead
walls behave similar to the webs and
flanges of a beam to resist the wind shears
and moments.
At mechanical floors, outrigger walls are
provided to link the perimeter columns to the
interior wall system, allowing the perimeter
columns to participate in the lateral load
resistance of the structure; hence, all of the
vertical concrete is utilized to support both
gravity and lateral loads.
. The structural system for the Burj Dubai
can be described as a “buttressed-core” and
consists of high-performance concrete wall
construction.
Each of the wings buttresses the others via
a six-sided central core, or hexagonal
hub.fig.1
This central core provides the torsional
resistance of the structure, similar to a
closed pipe or axle.
Perimeter columns and flat plate floor
construction complete the system.
Corridor walls extend from the central core
to near the end of each wing, terminating in
thickened hammer head walls.

Structural system description
Fig.1
central core
Corridor walls
hammerhead walls
 This is the tier
methodology for all the
tiers of the structure.
 It will be covered in
more detail as the
thread moves on with
the construction.

1) Lateral load Resisting System :
The consideration loads on the tower
The tower’s lateral load resisting system
consists of high performance, reinforced
concrete ductile core walls linked to the
exterior reinforced concrete columns
through a series of reinforced concrete
shear wall panels at the mechanical levels.
The core walls vary in thickness from
1300mm to 500mm. The core walls are
typically linked through a series of 800mm
to 1100mm deep reinforced concrete link
beams at every level.
These composite ductile link beams
typically consist of steel shear plates, or
structural steel built-up I-shaped beams,
with shear studs embedded in the concrete
section.
The link beam width typically matches the
adjacent core wall thickness .
At the top of the center reinforced
concrete core wall, a very tall spire tops the
building, making it the tallest tower in the
world in all categories. The lateral load
resisting system of the spire consists of a
diagonal structural steel bracing system
from level 156 to the top of the spire at
approximately 750 meter above the
ground.
The pinnacle consists of structural steel
pipe section varying from 2100mm
diameter x 60mm thick at the base to
1200mm diameter x 30mm thick at the top
(828m).

The consideration loads on the tower:
R/C Hammer Head Wall
[1300 mm]
R/C Corridor Shear Wall
[650 mm]
R/C Perimeter Column
[3500x600]
R/C Hexagonal Core
Wall [600mm]
R/C Nose Columns
[1500mm]
Edge of R/C
Flat Plate
R/C Link Beam
Typical Hotel Level

R/C Outrigger Walls
To Nose Columns
R/C Outrigger Walls
To Perimeter Columns
R/C Hexagonal
Core Wall
Edge of R/C
Flat Plate
R/C Link Beam
Typical Mechanical
Level

2) Gravity Load Management :
 Gravity load management is also
critical as it has direct impact on the
overall efficiency and performance of the
tower and it should be addressed at the
early design stage, during the
development and integration of the
architectural and structural design
concept.
The limitations on the wall thicknesses
(500-600mm) of the center core and the
wing walls thickness (600mm) allowed, art
of working with concrete, the gravity load
to flow freely into the center corridor Spine
web walls (650mm) to the hammer head
walls and nose columns for maximum
resistance to lateral loads.
Core wall
elevation
Wing B core
wall elevation
Set back
level
Outrigger
wall

 Softened corners
Wind Engineering in general
 Shape strategies to reduce excitation :
 Tapering and setbacks
Varying cross-section shape
 Spoilers
 Porosity or openings
 Several wind engineering techniques
were employed into the design of the
tower to control the dynamic response
of the tower under wind loading by
disorganizing the vortex shedding
formation (frequency and direction)
along the building height and tuning
the dynamic characteristics of the
building to improve its dynamic
behavior and to prevent lock-in
vibration.
3) Wind Load

Wind Engineering Management
 The wind engineering management of
Burj Khalifa was achieved by :
 Varying the building shape along the
height while continuing, without interruption,
the building gravity and lateral load resisting
system.
reducing the floor plan along the height,
thus effectively tapering the building profile.
Using the building shapes to introduce
spoiler type of effects along the entire height
of the tower, including the pinnacle, to
reduce the dynamic wind excitations.
Change the orientation of the tower in
response to wind directionality, thus
stiffening the structure normal to the worst
wind direction.
Importance
of wind
loads
Building height
Relationship between importance of
wind and height

The tower shape resists wind loadWind tunnel test
 Over 40 wind tunnel tests were conducted
on Burj Dubai to examine the effects the
wind would have on the tower and its
occupants.
These ranged from initial tests to verify the
wind climate of Dubai, to large structural
analysis models and facade pressure tests,
to micro-climate analysis of the effects at
terraces and around the tower base

4) Earthquake Analysis :
Dubai outside the scope of the
seismic activity .
Liquefaction analysis of Burj Khalifa
soil showed that it is not a problem
Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai, which
is a UBC97 Zone 2a seismic region
(with a seismic zone factor Z = 0.15
and soil profile Sc).
Thus Earthquake loads did not govern
the concrete tower design (wind loads
govern) but it does govern the design
of the steel spire above the concrete
tower.
How ever, Burj Khalifa resisted
earthquake of M5.8 magnitude that
occurred in southern Iran on July 20,
2010.
 While the magnitude of this earthquake
was diminished when it reached Dubai
and was relatively small (less than 1milli-
g at BK site),

 Cladding system in general
 Cladding system details
 Cladding Pressure Testing

Cladding system in general
Cladding system : curtain wall
 The exterior cladding is comprised of
reflective glazing with aluminum and
textured stainless steel spandrel panels
and stainless steel vertical tubular fins.
 Close to 26,000 glass panels, each
individually hand-cut, were used in the
exterior cladding of Burj Khalifa.
 Over 300 cladding specialists from China
were brought in for the cladding work on
the tower.
 The cladding system is designed to
withstand Dubai's extreme summer heat,
and to further ensure its integrity, a World
War II airplane engine was used for
dynamic wind and water testing.
 The curtain wall of Burj Khalifa is
equivalent to 17 football (soccer) fields or
25 American football fields.
Cladding material : Stainless Steel

Cladding System details
Curtain-Wall Detail
1. aluminum vertical mullion.
2. clear reflective insulating vision glass.
3. stainless-steel vertical fin.
4. horizontal spandrel panel.
5. concrete slab.
Cladding System plan Cladding System detail

Cladding System construction
Cladding System details

Cladding System
Cladding System at mechanical level
Cladding System inside view

Cladding Pressure Testing
Cladding pressure testing
 A 1:500 scale cladding pressure taps .
 The location of each tap was determined and
agreed in consultation between SOM and the
RWDI engineers.
 The model was placed on a turntable in the
wind tunnel.
 The tunnel was configured with the existing
surrounding buildings , then the tunnel was
configured with the surrounding buildings of
the future development in place.
 Measurements were taken for 36 wind
direction spaced 10 degrees apart .
 The measured data is converted into pressure
coefficients based on the measured mean
dynamic pressure of the wind above the
boundary layer .
 The statistical data of the local wind climate
accounts for the variable extreme wind speeds
with wind direction .

Cladding Pressure Testing
2.0 kpa+-
2.5 kpa
3.0 kpa
4.0 kpa
4.5 kpa
3.5 kpa
4.5 kpa
+-
+-
+-
+-
+-
+-
 The results of the test based
calculations include both maximum
positive and negative pressure based
on a return period of 50 years.
 The largest calculated negative
cladding wind pressure was 15.5kpa ,
and the largest positive pressure was
+3.5kpa.
 The criteria are established and the
contractor has completed his initial
detail design , the performance of the
curtain wall system must be proven.
 The cladding system in Burj Khalifa
was tested in the position for air
infiltration , water penetration .
Tower test mock-up dynamic test for
water penetration
Curtain
wall wind
pressure
diagram

Interior Finishes
Interiors
The interior design of Burj
Dubai public areas was also
done by the Chicago Office of
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
and was led by award-winning
designer Nada Andric.
The interior were inspired by
local cultural while staying
mindful of the building's status
as a global icon and residence
It features glass, stainless
steel and polished dark stones,
together with silver travertine
flooring, venetian stucco walls,
handmade rugs and stone
flooring.
Lobby Areas (Corporate & Residential)

Interior Finishes
Spa and Pool Area

 Construction Sequence Analysis
 (3-day cycle) Construction plan
 Construction Equipment

3.1 Construction Sequence Analysis
Stage 1
Reinforced concrete piles ( 1.5m in diameter
and 43m long ) .
Concrete mix for the piles had 25% fly ash
and 7% silica fume.
The mat is supported by 192 bored , Capacity
of each pile is 3000 tonnes.
The piles were made high density, low
permeability concrete placed by tremie method
utilizing polymer slurry.
Stage 2
The mat is 3.7 meters thick, and was
constructed in four separate pours totaling
12,500 cubic meters of concrete
A high density, low permeability concrete was
used in the foundations.
A cathodic protection system was also
installed under the mat, to minimize any
detrimental effects of corrosive chemicals,
which may be present in local ground water.
 Construction of the Tower Foundation

Stage 3
The corridor walls extend from the central
core up to the end of wing, where they have
thickened with hammer head walls.
 These walls behave like the web and flanges
of abeam to resist the wind shears and
moments.
Stage 4
The center hexagonal walls are buttressed by
the wing walls and hammer head walls which
behave as the webs and flanges of a beam to
resist the wind shears and moments.
 Construction of the Tower Superstructure

Stage 5
The wings set back to provide many different
floor plates.
The setbacks are organized with the tower’s
grid, such that the building stepping is
accomplished by aligning columns above with
walls below to provide a smooth load path. As
such, the tower does not contain any structural
transfers.
These setbacks also have the advantage of
providing a different width to the tower for
each differing floor plate.
Stage 6
The crowning touch of Burj Khalifa is its
telescopic spire comprised of more than 4,000
tons of structural steel.
The spire was constructed from inside the
building and jacked to its full height of over
200 meters (700 feet) using a hydraulic pump.
In addition to securing Burj Khalifa's place as
the world's tallest structure, the spire is
integral to the overall design, creating a sense
of completion for the landmark.
The spire also houses communications
equipment.

3.2 (3-day cycle) Construction plan
Technologies used to achieve 3-day
cycle
The tower consists of more than 160 floors and is
expected to be completed within a very tight schedule
and 3-day cycle. Hence, the following key
construction technologies were incorporated to
achieve the 3-day cycle set for the concrete works:
 Auto Climbing formwork system (ACS)
 Rebar pre-fabrication
 High performance concrete suitable for
providing high strength, high durability
requirement, high modulus, and pumping
 Advanced concrete pumping technology
Formwork system that can be dismantled and
assembled quickly with minimum labor
requirements
 Column/Wall proceeding method, part of
ACS formwork system
Sequence of Construction and ACS
Figures1and 2 depict the construction sequence
of the tower and show the auto climbing formwork
system (ACS), designed by Doka. The ACS form
work is divided into four sections consisting of the
center core wall that is followed by the wing wall
construction along each of the three tower wings.
Figure 2 also demonstrates the following
construction sequence:
The center core wall construction is
followed by the center core slab
construction.
The wing wall construction is followed by
the wing flat plat slab construction , and…..
the nose columns are followed by flat plate
and flat slab construction at the nose area.
 In addition, the core walls are tied to the
nose columns through a series of multi-
story outrigger walls at each of the
mechanical levels.

3to 5 levels below
6to 8 levels below
Work sequence
Section A-A
3 levels below
Core slab
Lobby slab
2 levels below
2 levels below
Nose slab Wing core wall Center core wall Corner slab
Sequence of Construction
Figure.1

Center
core wall
Automatic self
climbing system
wing
core wall
Nose
column
Automatic self
climbing system
Round steel form
slab
Panel form system
With drop head prop
Sequence of Construction
Figure.2

The Doka climbing
forms

Sequence of
Construction
Center core
wall
Wing wall
Nose column
Outer slab of
center core
wall
Typical
wing
slab
Wing wall

Rebar pre-fabrication
Most of the reinforcing bars for the core walls, wing
walls, and the nose columns were prefabricated at the
ground level.FIG.4
 This rebar fabrication and pre-assembly method
resulted:
 Quality control
 Reduced the number of workers going up and
down the tower.
 The rebar was assembled in double story
modules to speed up the vertical element
construction time.
FIG.3
FIG.4

Composite Link Beams
 In addition to connecting the vertical core wall
elements rigidly for maximum strength and stiffness for
the lateral load resisting system, the link beams are
also used as means of transferring and equalizing the
gravity loads between the vertical members (core-wall
elements and nose columns).
 This equalizes stresses and strains between the
members
 Because the link beams are subject to large shears
and bending moments, many of the link beams had to
be composite (steel members encased in high strength
concrete).
Composite Link
Beam Installation

3.3 Construction Equipment
Construction Equipment :
 Cranes
 Tower Hoist
 Concrete Pumping
Cranes
Site Logistic Plan
The Burj Dubai site area is
approximately 105,600m2 and
encompassing the tower, the office
annex, the pool annex, and the parking
areas, divided into three zones (Zone A,
Zone B, and Zone C). The site logistic
works and planning works are constantly
evolving to reflect current construction
activities, lay-down areas, site traffic
circulation, etc.
Snap Shot of Site Logistic Plan

WEST WING External Line
Of 500 Thickness
con`c wall
19,783
1,000
1,000
11,322
11,52
19,78319,956
11,522
1,000
T/C#M1
M440D 2,400x2,400
T/C#M2
M380D
2,400x2,400
T/C#M3
M2220D
2,000x2,000
South Wing
East Wing
Here is a drawing of the 3 cranes that will
rise with the core, M1 to M3
Three high capacity self climbing luffing
type tower cranes were optimally selected
and located at the center core of the tower
as shown in Figures 10 and 15.

 Figure 1 depicts the location of the main hoists and
the hoist specifications.
The hoists were installed in three different phases
following the construction sequence of the tower.
The four main PEGA twin-cage hoists will have a
single run to a height or around 400 m, traveling at a
top speed of 100 m/min. Hoists will eventually reach
levels approaching 700 m.
Tower Main Hoist
Tower Main Hoists System
figure 1

Concrete Pumping
equipment
Three major pumps were placed at the
ground level as shown in Figure 1 and 2.
Pumping line 1 situated at the center
core, with pumping lines 2, 3 and 4 at
the south, west, and east wings of the
core.
An additional pumping line 5 was
located at the center core area for
emergency use. , most of the concrete
has been pumped directly to the highest
concrete elevation, that in excess of
585m.
A secondary pump at level 124 was in
place in case of an emergency situation.
Tower Pump Equipment and Pipe Lines

Pipe Lines Diagram

 Monitoring Program
 Fire safety system.
 Air supply system.
 Power supply system.
 Water supply system.

3.1Monitoring Program
Structural Health Monitoring Program and Network
The survey monitoring program ( SHM) is used in Burj Khalifa to measure the sustainability of
The tower ,during construction process , and also after tower occupation .
 The monitoring program consists of sensors , which fixed at several positions at the tower
To measure the resistance load system behavior , thus sensors is connected with net work
computers to get the output data details .
 Since completion of the installation of the SHM program at Burj Khalifa, most of the structural
system characteristics have been identified and included measuring the following:
Building acceleration at all levels
Building displacements at level 160M3
Wind profile along the building height at most balcony areas, including wind speed &
direction, which still needs calibration to relate to the basic wind speed.
Building dynamic frequencies, including higher modes
Expected building damping at low amplitude due to both wind and seismic events
Time history records at the base of the tower.

Measured vs. predicted tower lateral movement, at tower’s geometric center, at every
setback level and the tower’s center position with time.

Detailed summary of the permanent real-time Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) program
concept developed by the author for Burj Khalifa.

4.2 Fire safety system
Fire and life safety
plan system
The design of Burj Khalifa undertook with
special attention to the fire safety and evacuation
speed.
The capacity of concrete surrounds of total
stairwells besides building service and fireman's
elevator has been so effective that it can easily
bear 5,500 kg.
That is why it is known for being the tallest
service elevator in the world.
 Pressurized and air-conditioned refuge areas
are designed on almost every 25 floor of this
tower to ensure better safety as occupants can’t
literally walk down to 160 floors in one go

4.2 power supply system
Normal power supply and distribution
systems
11KV Multiple feeds
up the building
Multiple 11KV/400y/230V Transformers
located at mechanical floors
400Y/230V Local zone vertical bus
400Y/230V switch boards
11KV incoming DEWA service
The maximum
amount of electrical
energy required by
the tower 50 million
volt-amp .

4.3 Air supply system
Air supply systems – HAVC (Heating Ventilating and Air-Conditioning)
Fresh air intake through
Slots of louvers
Supply fans and air handling
units
Vertical supply air distribution
Through ducted vertical risers
6 mechanical zones
Major plant rooms at 7 levels
Hydraulically isolated system

4.4 water supply system
Domestic water supply system
High level tank
Gravity express down - high pressure
Local zone Gravity Down -
Intermediate tank
Express fill line up
Hotel tank
Main water storage tanks (Fire and residential)
Transfer pumps
Hotel main storage tank
Low pressure through PRV’S
Identical principal for sprinkler system
Production capacity:946000 liters

 Validating the Structural Behavior and Response of Burj Khalifa :Synopsis of the Full Scale
Structural Health Monitoring Programs ………………… Ahmad Abdelrazaq / Executive Vice
President, Highrise & Complex Building, Samsung C & T, Seoul, Korea
 Burj Khalifa Tower , Wind Tunnel Testing of Cladding and Pedestrian Level …………. Peter A.
Irwin, William F. Baker, Stan Korista, Peter A. Weismantle, and Lawrence C. Novak
 Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates…………… Edward Mak
 Structural Engineering of World’s Tallest Building Burj Khalifa (Dubai) …………
PDHengineer.com
 WIND ISSUES IN THE DESIGN OF TALL BUILDINGS…………….. Peter A. Irwin / Los Angeles Tall
Building Structural Design Council May 7, 2010
 Burj Dubai 400m high hoists,and rising…………………. ACCESS INTERNATIONAL / January-
February 2007
 Brief on the Construction Planning of the Burj Dubai Project………….. Ahmad Abdelrazaq /
Executive Vice President, Highrise Building Team, Samsung Engineering & Construction
 BURJ KHALIFA, WORLD.S TALLEST STRUCTURE……… Dr.N.Subramanian / Consulting Structural
Engineer, Maryland, U.S.A.
http://www.archinomy.com
www.burjkhalifa.ae
http://archrecord.construction.com
http://www.skyscraperlist.com
http://www.sayedsaad.com

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