Advances in Structural Systems for Tall Buildings: Emerging Developments for Contemporary Urban Giants

Abstract

New developments of tall buildings of ever-growing heights have been continuously taking place worldwide. Consequently, many innovations in structural systems have emerged. This paper presents a retrospective survey of the main structural systems for tall buildings with emphasis on the advancements of recent, emerging, and potentially emerging systems. A structural systems chart that was previously developed by the authors has been updated in this paper to recognize, categorize and add the more recent structural systems. Recent trends of tubular structural systems in modified forms including the braced megatubes and diagrids are presented. Core-outrigger structural systems are discussed with emphasis on their adaptability. The potential of employing superframes for stand-alone and conjoined megatall buildings is predicted. As a means to solve today’s various project-specific complex design requirements, different mixed structural systems for supertall and megatall buildings are presented. This paper also discusses the widespread application of composite structural systems and recent trends of concrete cores for contemporary tall buildings. Finally, the future of tall buildings is predicted as the race for height continues.

Keywords

• tall buildings
• supertalls
• megatalls
• structural systems charts
• interior structures
• exterior structures
• core-outriggers
• tubular systems
• braced megatubes
• diagrids
• superframes
• conjoined towers
• buttressed cores
• combined and mixed systems
• composite structures
• concrete cores
• height races