Burj Khalifa (material)

1) fastest way to build a tower like the burj is with reinforced concrete : using a method
called jump on it , when the team build molds at the base, they insert steel
reinforcement bars and pouring concrete, then when the concrete sets, team lifts the
moment up to the next level and the process starts again
2) 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 is cooler and the humidity is
higher. A cooler concrete mixture cures evenly throughout and is therefore less likely to
set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could have put the entire project in
jeopardy.
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Note that there is also chemical admixture (superplasticlizer) added during the mixing of
concrete.Superplasticizers, also known as high range water reducers, are
chemical admixtures used where well-dispersed particle suspension is required. These
polymers are used as dispersants to avoid particle segregation(gravel,coarse and fine
sands), and to improve the flow characteristics (rheology) of suspensions such as in
concrete applications. Their addition to concrete or mortar allows the reduction of the
water to cement ratio, not affecting the workability of the mixture, and enables the
production of self-consolidating concrete and high performance concrete.This effect
drastically improves the performance of the hardening fresh paste. The strength of
concrete increases when the water to cement ratio decreases. However, their working
mechanisms lack a full understanding, revealing in certain cases cement-superplasticizer
incompatibilities.[1] The addition of superplasticizer in the truck during transit is a fairly
new development within the industry. Admixtures added in transit through automated
slump management systems, such as Verifi, allows concrete producers to maintain slump
until discharge without reducing concrete quality. ( destroy the surface tension of the
water)
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To pump the concrete to such a high level of the building, the most powerful pump in the
world were used.
3) Underground is weak sandstone and limestone in Dubai . In city like Hong Kong,
building a mega-structure just need several foundation piles , but this time, for the burj
khalifa, it needs 192 foundation piles to increase friction between piles and the sands.
4) without cladding , internal temp of the building will rise to 46 degree , in order to solve
this problem, inflecting infra red glass was used to cover the whole building to reflect
sunlight.

The Millau Viaduct bridge ( cable stayed

bridge )
1) Columns
There are seven pairs of columns. No. 1 will pose problems because of the steep slope. No.2
will be the biggest problem as it is the tallest. Crossing the river No.3 is not much shorter.
Then 4,5,6 and 7 find a gentle slope to the south.
2) Backrock
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Limestone (weak for building foundation on it)

The rock is full of cavaties (holds)

3) Landslides
Easily occur that may jeopardize the project
Solution: stabilize the slope using engineering method
4) Not two sets of cable-stayed , only one\
5) Mold have to be changed frequently to fit the changing shape of the column, with 250 times
every 3 days
6) Use GPS to do the engineering surveying , with error only 4mm
7) For safety, the team decided to fabricate the road deck with steel on solid ground , which is
much safer than lifting vast concrete sections is such a great height
8) Slide the two road deck from both side
By pushing the bridge from two side and to meet each other in the middle
The deck is too slender that it would bend and collapse if it were pushed out over 342 spans
between each pair of column
Solution (1st part) : fit a pile on the deck first so the cable can support the front of the deck
Solution (2nd part) : construct temporary support towers
9) When pushing the deck , the deck may knock of the pillar(columns), therefore, a hydraulic
system is set up on each columns to jack up the deck
10) How could be sure that the two deck will meet and join each other exactly with the perfect
geometry?
GPS system launch on the meeting head so that the engineers can see the gap between the
theoretical and the real position

11) The bridge is not that flexible that appears not straight enough
Solution : when pylons are set up the cable stayed are in tension, the deck is pulled straight

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

1) Unlike other skyscrapers, it is not a straight tower. Part of the tower
slope at an incredibly great inclination, like a stack of collapsing
domino, induce a huge external force onto the structure. Under such
circumstances, engineer cannot build this without any supports.
2) Using a technique that engineer have never used before, they build
large temporary truss made of strong structural steel. They propped up
the sloping towers as they rise .Besides, like a suspension bridge,
high-tensile strength steel is installed inside the concrete of the
sloping edge in order to give support to the inner layer of the wall.
3) temporary truss will be removed once a giant link truss connects the
two towers at the twenty-third floor.
4)The giant plate on the top may experience great torsion and
compression forces as it connects three buildings which experience wind
load at the same time. Inspired by bridge engineering theory, engineers
quickly figure out the solution:
The movement joint.
the sliding part of each of them so as to resist the torsion force as well
as the compression force that the Sky Park has to stand.
5) To lift up huge component to the top of the sky, bridge engineering
techniques are used.
6) build up cofferdam suck out all the water out of the cofferdam
Accident: there is leaking of the cofferdam
Solution : repair it with epoxy resin