A study on interrelations of structural systems and main planning considerations in contemporary supertall buildings

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of the study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of interrelations of structural systems and main planning considerations in supertall buildings (≥300 m).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 140 contemporary supertall towers using the case study method to analyze structural systems in the light of the key design considerations to contribute to the creation of more viable supertall building projects.Findings Central core typology, outriggered frame system, composite material and tapered prismatic and free forms were the most preferred features in supertall building design. Shear walled frame and tube systems occurred mostly in the 300–400 m height range, while outriggered frame systems were in the range of 300–600 m in height. Asia, the Middle East and North America mainly preferred outriggered frame systems, followed by tube systems. Considering the building function and form, the most preferred structural system in each of these groups was outriggered frame system, while mixed-use function stood out in all structural systems except in shear walled frame system.Originality/valueTo date, there has been no comprehensive study in the literature of the interrelations of structural systems and important planning considerations in the design of contemporary supertall towers through a large set of study samples. This critical issue was multidimensionally explored in this paper in light of 140 detailed case studies of supertall buildings around the world.

Use of aerodynamically favorable tapered form in contemporary supertall buildings

“…In addition, hotel, residential, and office uses were considered the basic functions in supertall buildings, while their combinations were considered mixed-use . In this article, considering existing literature (e.g., Taranath, 2016;Ali and Moon, 2018;Fu, 2018;Moon, 2018;Ali and Al-Kodmany, 2022), the following structural system categorization of Ilgın et al (2022b) and Ilgın (2022) were used: (i) shear-frame system (shear trussed frame and shear walled frame); (ii) mega core system; (iii) mega column; (iv) outriggered frame system; (v) tube system (framed-tube including diagrid-framed-tube, trussed-tube, and bundled-tube); and (vi) buttressed core system, while the following structural material classification was used: (i) steel, (ii) reinforced concrete and (iii) composite. Furthermore, the following classification of aerodynamic design considerations (Ilgın and Günel, 2021) was used: (i) major modifications -noticeably changing the overall architectural design -(building orientation, aerodynamic form, plan variation, and aerodynamic top); (ii) minor modifications -not considerably change the overall architectural design -(corner modifications and air pass).…”

“…Due to the ongoing urbanization and technological developments, the number of tall and supertall buildings (≥300m high) in the world is increasing exponentially (Karjalainen et al, 2021;Tulonen et al, 2021;Ilgın, 2022;Ilgın et al, 2022a;Ilgın and Karjalainen, 2022). In the initial phase of tall building construction, building designs were simple and most of the tall buildings had regular traditional configurations e.g., square, and rectangular prisms (Ilgın and Günel, 2007).…”

“…Ilgın (2021b) scrutinized space efficiency in supertall office towers with the primary architectural and structural considerations using 44 cases, whereas Ilgın (2021c) focused on space efficiency in supertall residential towers with the same considerations using 27 contemporary cases. Ilgın (2022) explored the interrelationships of load-bearing systems and key design parameters in supertall towers using 140 contemporary cases.…”

Tallest Timber Buildings: Main Architectural and Structural Design Considerations

“…In this study, hotel, residence, and office were considered as primary functions, whereas their combinations were considered mixed-use. Taking into account existing literature (e.g., [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43]), the classifications based on their structural behavior under lateral loads by Ilgın [44][45][46] and Ilgın et al [47] were used in this paper due to its more comprehensive and clearer structures (see…”

Wood Preservation Practices and Future Outlook: Perspectives of Experts from Finland

“…As one of the major producers of greenhouse gas emissions, the construction industry contributes to around 40% of energy-related CO 2 emissions globally [1][2][3][4][5]. Moreover, building construction in the European Union (EU) consumes 40% of materials and 40% of primary energy and produces 40% of annual waste [6].…”