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How Structural Steel Helped The Majestic Architectures Around The World - Part 3

In our last two blogs, we discussed magnificent structures made of structural steel and have very innovative designs and buildings. Until now, we debated Burj Khalifa, the Eiffel tower, the Empire state building, and Willis’s tower. This blog will discuss 'The Taipei 101' and 'The Shard, London.

To revise, Structural steel is a solid and durable piece of equipment used today in construction, making the construction of these vast marvels possible. With its incredible impact on the dynamics of the construction agency, it is a popular choice among the construction industry people.

The Taipei 101, Taipei: 

Taipei 101 is an excellent sky-high structure in Taipei, Taiwan. It was completed in 2004 and stood as the tallest building in the world until Burj Khalifa came into existence in 2010. 

Taipei 101 has a 508 meters height and with 101 floors above ground and five feet below ground. 

Some innovative features of its design include the wind damper system – 

A giant ball hands from the building's roof and supports the stability of the structures during extreme winds. 

It even has an elevator that runs at 60.6 km/hr, keeping it on the list of fastest elevators. Taipei 101 is a significant landmark and tourist appeal today with houses, offices, restaurants, retail spaces, and an observation deck. 

How is structural steel used in Taipei? 

Structural has played a critical role in making Taipei 101 its strengths.

The design: 

The building's innovative plan included a reinforced concrete core and a structural steel frame which is the source of the building's strength and stability. 

Taipei 101 has exterior columns, eight interior columns, and diagonal braces that form the firm's 'megastructure' that gives the 101 its stability. The steel frame is even flexible against earthquakes and typhoons, which are common in the region. 

The Innovation: 

The Taipei 101 weights 36000 tonnes and is put together with a distinctive 'pre-assembly technique'. 

In the technique, as the name tells, the steel frame components are assembled off-site and then transported to the building site for the final assembly. This reduced the risks associated with working on heights and reduced time usage in the building process. 

The tuned mass damper: 

Taipei 101 has a significantly toned mass damper of 660 tonnes and is deployed from the 92nd to 87th floors of the building. The muffler is applied to reduce lateral movement in high winds and earthquakes, enhancing stability. 

Hence, structural steel in Taipei 101 has helped the building be fine, sound, and visually stunning. 

The Shard, London: 

In Southwark, London, UK, resides the SHARD. Renzi Piano, an Italian architect, designed this significant entity, and the construction was completed in 2012. With 310 meters in tallness, the shard has made it to the list of tallest buildings in Europe. 

The shard is a vertical city with office space, luxury apartments, restaurants, a hotel, and a popular public observation deck. The deck named 'the view' is located on the 72nd floor and provides exceptional views of London from 244 meters in height. 

The shard's unique design features a tapered glass façade that reflects the sky, changes colour over the day, and is inspired by the irregular geometry of London's historic church spires and the ship's mast. 

But structural steel is essential in solidifying the building against high winds and other events. 

Let's have a look at structural steel application with THE SHARD. 

The steel frame: 

It has a critical role in structure construction. The building has 95 floors supported by a steel frame which helps with strength and stability. 

The shard's steel frame weighs 12000 tonnes and has a series of diagonal braces and perimeter columns that are the source of stability to the building. Even in this building, the steel frame is built flexibly and lightweight to withstand the winds and forces. 

Cost-effectiveness benefit: 

The structural steel application helped the shard to be constructed faster with a reduced amount of material needed for building it, resulting in a more sustainable and cost-effective solution. 

The Glass: 

The steel frame of the shard allows itself to be covered by a glass façade which lets excellent natural light come in and gives panoramic views of London. On another side, the glass panels are designed to be self-cleaning, reducing maintenance costs. 

The View: 

As mentioned earlier, the shard's observational deck is called 'the view' and is located on the 72nd floor and is supported by the steel truss that covers the building's central void. The steel truss provides the deck additional structural support, allowing the guests to get 'the view' of London without any safety worries. 

Hence, Structural steel has not only helped, The Shard be structurally sound but also be a beautiful and appealing marvel.

To conclude, 

Structural steel has been the game changer in the construction line and the binding force in giving the world beautiful creations. 

Structural steel has gained importance as a crucial material in the present-day construction business with its excellent quality and capabilities. The same attributes also make its use very relevant in new projects.