Problems in Designing A tall Building
Tall buildings are extremely good ways of maximizing the space available. When the purchase of land is expensive, i.e. in major cities like London, New York or Mumbai, tall buildings provide a solution to the lack of space. Two factors limits the height of buildings.
- Firstly, the lower floors must support the weight of the building. As the height increases, so does the load at the base.
- Secondly, the greater the height the larger the effect of wind.
Unfortunately wind can act in any direction and so the building must be able to withstand bending and shear forces in any direction.
Certain wind conditions can cause a building to twist as shown below. Designers must remember this when considering torsional resistance.
A structure must be strong enough and stiff enough to resist the forces without significant deformation.