Supertall Skyscrapers
Due to the immense weight of skyscrapers, the base and walls of the lower floors must be incredibly strong. Pilings are used to anchor the building to the bedrock underground. For example, the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building as well as the world's tallest structure, uses specially treated and mixed reinforced concrete. Over 45,000 cubic metres (59,000 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 t (120,000 short tons) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles, with each pile being 1.5 m diameter × 43 m long (4.9 ft × 141 ft) and buried more than 50 m (160 ft) deep.
Read more about this topic: Load-bearing Wall
Famous quotes containing the word skyscrapers:
“Chicago—is—oh well a façade of skyscrapers facing a lake, and behind the façade every type of dubiousness.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)