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CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TIMES

international
www.citinternational.co.uk
building a better industry

Issue no: 8
Winter 2003

Generation
next...
Cairo North’s new
combined cycle plant
is soon to turn on the
pages 26-27 power –
pages 26-27

Growing with
the tulips...
pages 34-41 Another new power
centre - this one at
Rijnmond,
Amsterdam –
pages 34-41

pages 42-47
Towering into
the
millennium...
Millennium Tower will
offer truly 21st
century office space–
pages 42-47

Bay
watching...
High-end
condominiums are
raising the bar at
Bricknell bay, Miami –
page 29

Opening
gateways...
Dubai’s new financial
Gateway is preparing
to crank open its
doors –
pages 16-17

Cover Story...
At 508 metres high,
the world’s tallest
building will propel
Taipei onto the
international stage –
pages 6-11

Features: Athens Olympics... Iraq’s infrastructure...


TAIPEI 101

O N TOP OF THE WORLD

..TAIPEI 101
An outstanding landmark is engineering feat expected to bring the city
enough to transform any city, take into the spotlight on the world stage.
the Empire State Building in New Located in the finest district Taipei has to
York City, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, offer, this is the largest engineering project
or the Jinmao Mansion, Shanghai. in the history of the Taiwan construction
The world’s tallest building does business.
the job even better.
It is a major Bank of Taiwan project that
In the 21st century, Taiwan’s capital needs a represents the first joint effort between the
more expansive status to match its Taipei City Government and the private
progressive performance. TAIPEI 101 is an sector. It will be managed by the Taipei
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TIMES INTERNATIONAL
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TAIPEI 101

Financial Centre Coporation (TFC), which FACT BOX


has a 70-year lease on the building.
TAIPEI 101 has a 30,277 square Its chiller load is 13,600 RT,
Backed by 11 businesses, the TFC is the metre site area and 373,831 power peaks at 30,000 KVA and
land developer responsible for the planning, square metre floor area. it has an emergency power
implementation, operation and supply of 14,000 KVA..
management of the project. It stands at 508 metres high with
101 floors, 61 elevators and 50 The mega-column structural
The shareholders are 14 renowned escalators. system is built from 60 x 80
domestic businesses, including the Taiwan millimetre high quality steel and
Stock Exchange and China Development There are 550 piles and the there are 2,500 kilometres of
Industrial Bank Inc. excavated volume was 542,000 six-millimetre fillet equivalent
square metres. welding on site.
The main contractor, Turner International,
compiled project specifications at the start The building is put together The lift capacity is achieved by
of the project. Firstly, “to develop an using 107,000 tonnes of steel, specially designed tower cranes,
efficient 277,000-square metre site in the and 102,500 square metres of with a one- kilometre long, eight-
Hsin Yi Area of East Taipei, Taiwan for curtain walling. tonne tower crane cable.
commercial and retail tenancy.”
Its 680 tonne mass damper and
Secondly, “to design a signature structure 400 tonne pinnacle demanded
engineered to the highest standards the highest jacking operation
appropriate to local seismic, geological and ever.
climactic conditions.” Thirdly, “to use green
and smart energy conservation, systems
management and control technology.” The ornate interior and exterior detailing
also draws in many elements from Chinese
And lastly, was the need “to offer art history - inspired by traditional sculpture
international class facilities and space and artistic forms.
usage flexibility, and provide a quality
complex requiring minimum maintenance The overall design consists of a super high-
and disturbance free occupancy to rise tower and a low-rise podium. The
tenants.” shopping mall or social plaza is enveloped
within the podium. This is a 41-metre high
TAIPEI 101 will become the quintessential grand space constructed with a super
landmark of Taipei city and the Taipei spinal truss and illuminated with in-directed
Manhattan district. Eastern architecture will sky lighting.
meet western technology within this
symbolic building. Inclining four degrees inwards, the structure
increases in size as it gets higher. This
The design process meant a thorough facade is both flamboyant and functional -
investigation of all shapes, all proportions driving concepts behind it are less sun,
and all possible heights. The chosen more view.
solution is a world ranking structure, with its
pinnacle at 508 metres, and the top of the And when you consider the sheer height,
roof structure at 488 metres high. exposure and opportunity for viewing the
Taipei vistas, you realise how important this
To compare to other tall buildings, the next really is.
best thing is the World Financial Centre in
Shanghai, China at 460 metres high, High tech materials and innovative
followed closely by the 450-metre Petronas illumination create a see-through effect with
Tower, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. transparency and clarity that facilitates the
harmony between the building and its
Eastern image natural environment.
Facing and above: the Taipei
TAIPEI 101 follows the Chinese pagoda
Tall and green finance tower is designed to
form, transcending the uni-body concept.
resemble a growing bamboo
Resembling the flexible yet persistent Energy conservation was one of the
shoot or an inverted pagoda.
bamboo plant that rises into the sky, the specifications set out in the beginning. With
Inclining four degrees
building is a reflection of traditional Chinese a sophisticated building like TAIPEI 101, to
inwards, the structure
building philosophy. install anything other than the most
increases in size as it gets
advanced technologies would have been
higher.
The architect, CYL decided to base the incongruous.
structure on the Chinese number eight, a
numeral long considered lucky in Chinese TAIPEI 101 uses energy efficient materials
culture. Eight-floor structural units are to minimise long term energy consumption.
connected one by one, on top of each other The transparent and non-reflective curtain
to form the whole. This kind of rhythmic walls are made of double e-glass which is
aesthetic is brand new to skyscrapers. energy efficient and heat reflective.

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TAIPEI 101

Other green elements include ice-storage A double deck system means that there is
FACTFILE systems to balance power consumption less core area, and the transfer lobby is
Its height of 508 metres will and reduce cooling equipment loads; a divided into a high, middle and low zone.
rank TAIPEI 101 as the world’s dual power system; and a gray water The fastest lift car on the market, operating
tallest building. recycling facility for irrigation, landscaping at 16.8 metres per second, will reach the
and sanitation use. 89th floor in just 39 seconds.
Number two is the 460-metre
World Financial Centre, To guarantee reliable power supply, TAIPEI Why do it? Everyone wants to visit the
Shanghai, China. 101 will have a redundant power distribution world’s biggest, smallest, tallest, fastest,
network. There will be dual incoming record holders. Before it, Japan’s
At number three is the electrical feeders from separate substations Yokohama Landmark Towers has held the
450-metre Petronas Tower, and an on-site back-up power generation title as the world’s fastest passenger lifts
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia system to maintain tenant operational with a velocity of 12.5 metres per second.
requirements.
Fourth in world ranking is Sears The TFC observation lift will be equipped
Tower in Chicago, United A city microcosm with onboard digital speedometers that will
States. The Tower stands 443 With a forward-looking philosophy that be continually displayed. Despite its high
metres high. marries technology and culture, TAIPEI 101 speed, it is designed to run quietly with the
is a building that can accommodate more least possible perception of movement, a
Next is the Jin Mao Building, than 10,000 individuals as well as business, pleasant route to the view from the top.
Shanghai’s second building in financial and industrial operations.
the list. This is 421 metres Standing firm
high. By providing a brand new living, There have been concerns over the safety
consumption and entertainment space. Like aspect with Taiwan located in one of the
a self-sufficient organism, the enormous world’s most earthquake-prone belts. In
building will be the epitome of city life. March 2002, an earthquake measuring five
on the Richter scale hit Taipei.
The observatory at the top symbolises the
window to the future, accessible via the In fact, two cranes on the top of the skeletal
world’s fastest express elevator. It enables TAIPEI 101 building crashed down into the
observation of the entire city of Taipei - from street, killing five people and injuring 23
the highest point of the city, no less. others. “The quake did not cause any
damage to the structure,” says Dugald
MacKay, project executive for the Taipei
branch of Turner International. “Before
resuming steel erection, the cranes’ masts
were strengthened and stiffened,” he
explains.

Typhoons are also frequent visitors, with


winds reaching 180 kilometres per hour.
Therefore, Evergreen Consulting
Engineering, Inc. and Sino Geotechnology,
Inc. were called in to study the natural
constraints of the site.

To guard the 508-metre tower against wind


advert damage, a 50-year drift ratio, a 100-year
stress ratio and half-year human comfort
ratio have been calculated. Seismic
protection must ensure that the building
remains ‘elastic’ for a period of 950 years,
and evades collapse for 2,500 years.

In light of the geotechnical study, 40-60


meters of soft soil were laid on top of the
rock formation. Then, 500 piles with a total
length of over 26.7 kilometres were drilled
20-30 metres down into bedrock.

There is an 11-storey mega structure


system, supported by eight ‘super main’
columns. As every eighth floor constitutes
an autonomous space, wind effects on the
surface seen in high rise buildings are
eliminated. All columns are in-filled with
high strength concrete, pumped to a height
of 448 metres in the tower.

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TAIPEI 101

Above: view of the top - giving


The design of the foundation guarantees high strength steel cables, eight viscous
some perspective of the
pedestrian safety and comfort. In total, dampers/shock absorbers, and eight
soaring mass of the world’s
24,000 square metres of concrete is placed snubber dampers.
tallest building
in the mass foundation for the tower.
Fire protection is precisely designed - safety
The structural system developed has areas and routes have been effectively fitted
outrigger trusses and a braced core. into the building’s architectural elements.
Special measures to resist wind and There are on-floor escape corridors,
seismic forces include: high strength and intermediate refuge areas every eight floors,
high ductility steel plates; high strength and and pressurisation of adjacent floor areas to
high performance concrete with a block smoke infiltration.
10,000 psi; high ductility beam-column
connection with reduced beam sections; a A world first
tuned-mass damper in the tower; and a The project is groundbreaking in many
smaller tuned-mass damper at the pinnacle. important ways, even in terms of the
techniques and equipment required to bring
The visible wind damper on the 88th floor it to life. Custom designed Cab was used in
comprises of a 680 tonne steel ball, eight structuring the platforms to guarantee they
would suit the building profile. The world’s
tallest temporary structure was also used.
DEVELOPMENT TIMESCALE
July 1997 – land development July 2003 – topping out Not only committed to the highest building
contract secured ceremony of the tower standards regarding construction hardware,
TAIPEI 101 pursues world-class software for
January 1998 – groundbreaking October 2003 – mall operation and management.
ceremony suboperational
What the building aims to create is more
October 1999 – start of work on September 2004 – office tower
than just a milestone in the history of
the main structure inauguration
architecture; it also aims to show the utmost
June 2001 – upper beams of performance that combines technology, art,
the mall area raised economic prowess, and humanity.

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TAIPEI 101

What TAIPEI 101 fulfils is more than just


becoming world number one; it is also an STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
outstanding symbol that 23 million people in
The structural system includes overturning loads to the
Taiwan will take pride in. It will successfully
many elements that contribute to megacolumns on each
show the world the achievements that
its status: A braced core and face.Floor plane bracing
Taiwan has made over the past 50 years.
multiple outrigger system with transfers perimeter latteral forces
concrete-filled box columns past building setbacks.
But as proof that the ego-driven tall-building
assures building stability,
trend is alive and well, TAIPEI 101’s reign as
minimises wind sway and A tuned mass damper on the
a super skyscraper will not last long. It is
improves occupant comfort. observatory deck minimises
but one of several skyscrapers on their way.
human perception of building
Freedom Tower, New York, will stand 1,776
A dual system of internal bracing movements; other, smaller
feet high when finished in 2006. Shanghai
and both perimeter and internal dampers control wind sway of
World Financial Centre will also be taller
ductile moment frames provide a the spire. Long span steel floor
than TAIPEI 101 when completed in 2007.
highly redundant earthquake- framing eases space planning
resisting system. Belt trusses on and future tenant modifications.
Structurally sound
multiple floors direct gravity and
Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers has been
deeply involved with the structural system.
Dennis Poon, managing principal, and
Leonard Joseph, senior vice-president, collaborated with the owner, the architect,
said: “We contributed structural system the local structural engineer, other
concepts, criteria and preliminary designs, consultants and the construction team, to
performed peer reviews of the construction provide TAIPEI 101 with a state-of-the-art
documents, and consulted on specific structural system befitting its premier status.
Project Team
issues during design and construction. We are sure the project is destined to
become an internationally recognised
Developer – Taipei Financial
“Our involvement reflected the experiences landmark in keeping with the state-of-the-art
Centre
we gained in developing the structure of the structural system supporting it.”
Project manager - Turner
Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, International
previously the world’s tallest buildings, as Engineering a masterpiece
Architect - CYL & Partners
well as other high-rise towers. Valentine Lehr of Lehr Associates gives an Structural Design -
insight into the engineering at TAIPEI 101: Evergreen Consulting
“We considered it an honour to have “When involved with the design process for Engineering, Inc

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TIMES INTERNATIONAL


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TAIPEI 101

innovative new buildings, a peer engineer temperature air distribution systems


fulfills two functions. First, it reviews, with a compliment the limited space available in
critical independent eye, the work of the the extremely efficient, tight floor footprint.
design and production engineering team.
Secondly it is expected to be a source of Lehr remarked: “In this age of security
ideas and the group that provokes inquiry concern, the design offers exemplary
into innovative approaches. protection from chemical and biological
threats. Considerable care was taken in
“As the mechanical, electrical, and life the life safety planning for the building,
safety/fire protection peer engineer for offering levels of overall occupant
TAIPEI 101, Lehr Associates enjoyed an protection well in advance of other current
exciting and simulating role in development high-rise designs.
of the building services engineering design
for the colossal structure,” Lehr continued. “TAIPEI 101 also includes a base
construction with extensive commercial
“The challenge for this landmark project and public spaces. This building element
was not only to construct a taller building offered substantial potential for thermal
but also to advance the state-of-the-art storage, and the system is the backbone
systems that would ensure the comfort and of an energy savings programme of note.
safety of all its inhabitants. Additionally, the
unique climatic and infrastructure conditions The high occupancy density for the
Above: the tower will make its
in Taipei proved both problems and commercial shopping area also
presence felt in Taipei, both night
inspiration for innovative approaches. necessitated extensive review of smoke
and day
control and life safety systems. The
“While this challenge was met in all of the resulting design is a model of current
engineering systems for the tower, the air technology for assuring safe egress of the
conditioning and ventilating systems offered shopping complex in the event of disaster.
the greatest opportunity for exploration and
innovation. The combined team’s extensive Concluding, he said: Lehr Associates is
design and review process resulted in a proud to have contributed to TAIPEI 101
mid-tower plant location facilitating piping and to have worked on the development of
distribution and equipment selection. systems offering high levels of occupant
The thermal storage system provides comfort, exemplary safety, and operational
impressive utility savings, and the load efficiency and economy.”

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