• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.327-332
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• 2017

This paper discusses several topics associated with the densification caused by supertall buildings and their impact on city systems. The paper covers five key areas where a supertall tower creates a concentration of needs and effects. First, the paper comments on population shifts towards the city and how they affect carbon footprint, utilities infrastructure and transport. The effect of single- and mixed-use towers is discussed in the context of population density. The second section brings the issues of transit, accessibility and master planning into focus. The use and criticality of public transport, cycling and walking is described. Servicing and deliveries using freight consolidation and shared systems is also discussed along with their contribution to the culture of sustainable travel. In the third section the paper reflects on supertall buildings' below-ground utilities and drainage provision, particularly the challenges faced in established city infrastructures. The utilities issues associated with supertall concentration (in land-use terms) compared to equivalent low-rise distribution is also commented on in the context of surface water runoff. In the fourth section, the topic of supertall sustainability is discussed and how city systems need to respond to create desirable and affordable space for occupiers. The changing need for vertical communities, 'stacked neighbourhoods' and the notion of a micro-city is described. Finally, the paper considers the energy consumption and resilience of supertall buildings in the context of basic geometry, façade design, climate and mixed-use benefits as they impact city systems.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2015

By the end of 2014, the number of completed and under-construction supertall buildings above 250 meters in China reached 90 and 129, respectively. China has become one of the centers of supertall buildings in the world. Supertall buildings in China are getting taller, more slender, and more complex. The structural design of these buildings focuses on the efficiency of lateral resisting systems and the application of energy dissipation. Furthermore, the research, design, and construction of high-performance materials, pile foundations, and mega-members have made a lot of progress. Meanwhile, more and more challenges are presented, such as the improvement of structural system efficiency, the further understanding of failure models, the definition of design criteria, the application of high-performance materials, and construction monitoring. Thus, local structural engineers are playing a more important role in the design of supertall buildings.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.85-93
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• 2018

The design of a supertall building poses many challenges to the architect and engineer. Using Jeddah Tower as a case study; this paper intends to discuss a few of those challenges specifically related to the arrangement of programmed spaces in the tower, their functional connection by means of the vertical transportation system and physical connection with shafts which introduces the potential for stack effect in the building. The measures applied in response to and mitigation of these issues are discussed.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

The last 30 years have seen a rapid growth in the number of supertall buildings across the world, with newly completed buildings continuing to rank among the tallest 100 every year. Chinese projects notably play a pivotal role in these constant updates. It is caused by the interweaving of population and urbanization, economic considerations, and further, a series of accompanying urban problems. This paper focuses on the world's 100 tallest buildings in the last 30 years, and compares this collection of projects across five years via the dimensions of height, distribution, function and structural material. The intention is to discuss and interpret the influence factors and developing trends, some of which have been apparent over a dozen years, while others are just beginning to take shape, thus to provide an opportunity to preview the types of supertall buildings in the future.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.77-85
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• 2010

Recently, with development of core technology for supertall building construction projects, the need for an improvement of the related legal system is increasing dramatically. Therefore, the supertall Buildings R&DB Center, which is funded by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime affairs (MLTM), is studying the legal system for supertall buildings. This research, as one part of the 1st year research results, aimed at studying supertall building project related issues and problems to develop supertall building elements, and conducting an importance-performance analysis (IPA) of these elements in order to conclude a strategy and direction for an improvement of the related legal system. A total of 68 supertall building elements were derived, and the IPA method was used to analyze these elements based on attribute types. Furthermore, an improvement strategy and directions were suggested for upgrading the legal system related to supertall buildings to the level of global standards. These efforts can be the base for advancing the legal systems of the domestic construction industry in all areas, including supertall building construction.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.301-306
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• 2017

The design and construction of supertall buildings has grown dramatically in recent years. This area of practice has traditionally fallen within the purview of a very small group of architects and engineers, but this is rapidly changing, as unprecedented growth and densification has spread to markets not traditionally known for high rise construction. The design community has been increasingly committed to the adoption of green and sustainable design, and the integration of smarter, cleaner technologies across the building spectrum. This paper examines current supertall design trends, and suggests that recently completed and planned projects are trending towards more sustainable solutions, and that a unique set of best practices are emerging specific to Supertalls.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.223-234
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• 2018

In this study, a simplified three-dimensional calculation model is developed for the dynamic analysis of soil-pile group-supertall building systems excited by wind loads using the substructure method. Wind loads acting on a 300-m building in different wind directions and terrain conditions are obtained from synchronous pressure measurements conducted in a wind tunnel. The effects of soil-structure interaction (SSI) on the first natural frequency, wind-induced static displacement, root mean square (RMS) of displacement, and RMS of acceleration at the top of supertall buildings are analyzed. The findings demonstrate that with decreasing soil shear wave velocity, the first natural frequency decreases and the static displacement, RMS of displacement and RMS of acceleration increase. In addition, as soil material damping decreases, the RMS of displacement and the RMS of acceleration increase.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.179-191
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• 2021

Tall buildings have generally been developed as solo towers. With the increase of the heights of tall buildings from about 10-story buildings to supertall and megatall buildings, their structural systems have evolved from interior structures to exterior structures and combined/mixed systems. This paper reviews structural systems developed for solo supertall and megatall buildings and discusses the challenges they face in terms of structural performance and architectural design as the building heights are ever increased. As a viable and more sustainable design alternative to extremely tall solo towers, superframed conjoined towers are presented. Their structural performances are investigated in comparison with solo tower structures. Further, architectural potentials of superframed conjoined towers are explored through design studies.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2019

Assessing the energy performance of supertall buildings often does not consider variations in energy consumption due to the change of environmental conditions such as temperature, pressure, and wind speed associated with differing elevations. Some modelers account for these changing conditions by using a conventional temperature lapse rate, but not many studies confirm to the appropriateness of applying it to tall buildings. This paper presents and discusses simulated annual energy consumption results from a 600 m tall skyscraper floor plate located in Dubai, UAE, assessed using ground level weather data, a conventional temperature lapse rate of $6.5^{\circ}C/km$, and more accurate simulated 600 m weather data. A typical office floorplate, with ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standards and systems applied, was evaluated using the EnergyPlus engine through the OpenStudio graphical user interface. The results presented in this paper indicate that by using ground level weather data, energy consumption at the top of the building can be overestimated by upwards of 4%. Furthermore, by only using a lapse rate, heating energy is overestimated by up to 96% due to local weather phenomenon such as temperature inversion, which can only be conveyed using simulated weather data. In addition, sizing and energy consumption of fans, which are dependent both on wind and atmospheric pressure, are not accurately captured using a temperature lapse rate. These results show that that it is important, with the ever increasing construction of supertall buildings, to be able to account for variations in climatic conditions along the height of the building. Adequately modeling these conditions using simulated weather data will help designers and engineers correctly size mechanical systems, potentially decreasing overall building energy consumption, and ensuring that these systems are able to provide the necessary indoor conditions to maintain occupant comfort levels.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2022

The Spiral, a supertall tower at the Hudson Yards Zoning District of NYC is an new iconic commercial office tower. The spiraling terraces throughout the height of the building creates unique outdoor spaces at each level for its occupants while introduces structural challenges unlike common office towers. Innovative structural solutions and an integrated connection design and steel detailing delivery process proved to be a key factor in the success of the project.