Construction and structure – 4:10 Animation of construction process Aerial closeup of Burj Khalifa under construction in March 2008 The tower was constructed by Samsung C&T from South Korea, which also did work on the Petronas Twin Towers and Taipei 101, Samsung C&T built the tower in a joint venture with BESIX from Belgium and Arabtec from the UAE.

Turner was the project manager on the main construction contract. Hong Kong -based Far East Aluminum combined to provide the exterior cladding for Burj Khalifa. The contractor and the engineer of record was Hyder Consulting, Under UAE law, the contractor and the engineer of record is jointly and severally liable for the performance of Burj Khalifa.

The primary structure is reinforced concrete. Putzmeister created a new, super high-pressure trailer concrete pump, the BSA 14000 SHP-D, for this project. Burj Khalifa’s construction used 330,000 m 3 (431,600 cu yd) of concrete and 55,000 tonnes (61,000 short tons; 54,000 long tons) of steel rebar, and construction took 22 million man-hours.

In May 2008 Putzmeister pumped concrete with more than 21 MPA ultimate compressive strength of gravel to surpass the 600 meters weight of the effective area of each column from the foundation to the next fourth level, and the rest was by metal columns jacketed or covered with concrete to a then world record delivery height of 606 m (1,988 ft), the 156th floor.

Three tower cranes were used during the construction of the uppermost levels, each capable of lifting a 25-tonne load. The remaining structure above was constructed of lighter steel. In 2003, 33 test holes were drilled to study the strength of the bedrock underlying the structure.

“Weak to very weak sandstone and siltstone” was found, just metres below the surface. Samples were taken from test holes drilled to a depth of 140 metres, finding weak to very weak rock all the way. The study described the site as part of a “seismically active area”, Another challenging element was the shamal which often creates sandstorms.

Over 45,000 m 3 (58,900 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes (120,000 short tons ; 110,000 long tons ) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles; each pile is 1.5 metre in diameter by 43 m in length, buried more than 50 m (164 ft) deep.

• The foundation was designed to support the total building weight of approximately 450,000 tonnes (500,000 short tons ; 440,000 long tons ).
• This weight was then divided by the compressive strength of concrete which is 30 MPa which yielded 450 sq.
• Meters of vertical normal effective area, which then yielded 12 meters by 12 meters dimensions.

A cathodic protection system is under the concrete to neutralize the sulphate and chloride-rich groundwater and prevent corrosion. During the construction of the Burj Khalifa, over 35,000 tonnes of structural steel which held the Palace of the Republic, the former parliament building of the German Democratic Republic, the Volkskammer, in East Berlin together were shipped to Dubai in 2008.

The Burj Khalifa is highly compartmentalised. Pressurized, air-conditioned refuge floors are located every 13 floors (on floors G, 13, 26, 39, 52, etc.) where people can shelter on their long walk down to safety in case of an emergency or fire. Special mixes of concrete were made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive building weight; as is typical with reinforced concrete construction, each batch of concrete was tested to ensure it could withstand certain pressures.

CTLGroup, working for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, conducted the creep and shrinkage testing critical for the structural analysis of the building. The consistency of the concrete used in the project was essential. It was difficult to create a concrete that could withstand both the thousands of tonnes bearing down on it and Persian Gulf temperatures that can reach 50 °C (122 °F).

• To combat this problem, the concrete was not poured during the day.
• Instead, during the summer months, ice was added to the mixture and it was poured at night when the air was cooler and the humidity was higher.
• Cooler concrete cures more evenly and is, therefore, less likely to set too quickly and crack.

Any significant cracks could have put the entire project in jeopardy.

Who built the Burj Khalifa?

Labour controversy – The Burj Khalifa was built primarily by workers from South Asia and East Asia. This is generally because the current generation of UAE locals prefer governmental jobs and do not have an attitude favouring private sector employment.

• On 17 June 2008, there were about 7,500 skilled workers employed at the construction site.
• Press reports indicated in 2006 that skilled carpenters at the site earned £4.34 a day, and labourers earned £2.84.
• According to a BBC investigation and a Human Rights Watch report, the workers were housed in abysmal conditions, and worked long hours for low pay.

During construction, only one construction-related death was reported. However, workplace injuries and fatalities in the UAE are “poorly documented”, according to Human Rights Watch. In March 2006 about 2,500 workers, upset over buses that were delayed for the end of their shifts, protested and triggered a riot, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment.

Why Dubai Burj Khalifa is the best building in Dubai?

Dubai Burj Khalifa – The construction of fantastic and well-structured builds requires the input of individuals with visionary ideas and a solid background in science. That’s why the Dubai Burj Khalifa that highlights Dubai sky you can see in your fight and even though the Dhow Cruise, is a one of a kind building, thriving with exceptional beauty right from its construction and design you would explore in your Dubai Vacation,

• Nown as the tallest tower in the world, Burj Khalifa also serves as one of the most exquisite attractions in Dubai, a prominent landmark that stands out from all other buildings.
• With an impressive height of 829.8m including the antenna, the building has been the tallest structure building ever since 2009 receiving numerous awards over the years.

It is a beautiful masterpiece by Adam Smith, who is a successful designer with an impressive reputation from the towers like the Willis Tower and Hyder Consulting. The building was designed with Islamic architecture, with a few challenges along the way, but eventually, the masterpiece now is an astonishing skyscraper highlighting Dubai City Sky along with the famous Burj Al Arab,

How much concrete does it take to build Burj Khalifa?

Architecture – The architecture features a triple-lobed footprint, an abstraction of the Hymenocallis flower. The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. 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.

• Twenty-six helical levels decrease the cross-section of the tower incrementally as it spirals skyward.
• The central core emerges at the top and culminates in a sculpted spire.
• A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Arabian Gulf.
• Viewed from the base or the air, Burj Khalifa is evocative of the onion domes prevalent in Islamic architecture.

Over 40 wind tunnel tests were conducted on Burj Khalifa 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.

Even the temporary conditions during the construction stage were tested with the tower cranes on the tower to ensure safety at all times. Stack effect or chimney effect is a phenomenon that affects super-tall building design and arises from the changes in pressure and temperature with height. Special studies were carried on Burj Khalifa to determine the magnitude of the changes that would have to be dealt with in the building design.

Concourse level to level 8 and level 38 and 39 will feature the Armani Hotel Dubai. Levels 9 to 16 will exclusively house luxurious one and two-bedroom Armani Residences. Floors 45 through 108 are private ultra-luxury residences. The Corporate Suites occupy most of the remaining floors, except for level 122 which houses At.mosphere and level 124, the tower’s public observatory, At the Top, Burj Khalifa.

For the convenience of homeowners, the tower has been divided into sections with exclusive Sky Lobbies on Levels 43, 76 and 123 that feature state-of-the-art fitness facilities including a Jacuzzis on Level 43 and 76. The Sky Lobbies on 43 and 76 additionally house swimming pools and a recreational room each that can be utilized for gatherings and lifestyle events — offering an unparalleled experience, both pools open to the outside offering residents the option of swimming from inside to the outside balcony.

Other facilities for residents include a Residents’ Library, and Lafayette Gourmet, a gourmet convenience store and a meeting place for the residents. Valet parking is provided for guests and visitors. The interior design of Burj Khalifa public areas was also done by the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and was led by award-winning designer Nada Andric.

1. It features glass, stainless steel and polished dark stones, together with silver travertine flooring, Venetian stucco walls, handmade rugs and stone flooring.
2. The interiors were inspired by local culture while staying mindful of the building’s status as a global icon and residence.
3. Over 1,000 pieces of art from prominent Middle Eastern and international artists adorn Burj Khalifa and the surrounding Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard.

Many of the pieces were specially commissioned by Emaar to be a tribute to the spirit of global harmony. The pieces were selected as a means of linking cultures and communities, symbolic of Burj Khalifa being an international collaboration. Excavation work began for Burj Khalifa in January 2004 and over the ensuing years to its completion; the building passed many important milestones on its goal to become the tallest man-made structure the world has ever seen.

In just 1,325 days since excavation work started in January 2004, Burj Khalifa became the tallest free-standing structure in the world. Over 45,000 m3 (58,900 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles buried more than 50 m (164 ft) deep.

Burj Khalifa’s construction will have used 330,000 m3 (431,600 cu yd) of concrete and 39,000 tonnes (43,000 ST; 38,000 LT) of steel rebar, and construction will have taken 22 million man-hours. The exterior cladding of Burj Khalifa began in May 2007 and was completed in September 2009.

1. The vast project involved more than 380 skilled engineers and on-site technicians.
2. At the initial stage of installation, the team progressed at the rate of about 20 to 30 panels per day and eventually achieved as many as 175 panels per day.
3. The tower accomplished a world record for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade with a height of 512 metres.

The total weight of aluminium used on Burj Khalifa is equivalent to that of five A380 aircrafts and the total length of stainless steel bull nose fins is 293 times the height of Eiffel Tower in Paris. In November 2007, the highest reinforced concrete core walls were pumped using 80 MPa concrete from ground level.

A vertical height of 601 metres. This smashed the previous pumping record on a building of 470m on Taipei 101; the world’s second tallest tower and the previous world record for vertical pumping of 532 metres for an extension to the Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant in 1994. The concrete pressure during pumping to this level was nearly 200 bars.

The amount of rebar used for the tower is 31,400 metric tons – laid end to end this would extend over a quarter of the way around the world.

January 2004	Excavation started
February 2004	Piling started
March 2005	Superstructure started
June 2006	Level 50 reached
January 2007	Level 100 reached
March 2007	Level 110 reached
April 2007	Level 120 reached
May 2007	Level 130 reached
July 2007	Level 141 reached world’s tallest building
September 2007	Level 150 reached world’s tallest free-standing structure
April 2008	Level 160 reached world’s tallest man-made structure
January 2009	Completion of spire Burj Khalifa tops out
September 2009	Exterior cladding completed
January 2010	Official launch ceremony

Architectural, Construction & Building Design| Burj Khalifa

How many people worked on Burj Khalifa?

People – Burj Khalifa was an international collaboration between more than 60 contracting and consulting companies worldwide. At the peak of construction, over 12,000 workers and contractors were on site every day, representing more than 100 nationalities. According to Emaar, construction will have taken 22 million man-hours. Back to to p Next: Fire safety, MEP and Elevators & lifts.