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| The Burj Khalifa |
In fact Dubai has 17 of the 100 highest skyscrapers’ on earth.
It cost a whopping 1.5 billion to construct.
The task of constructing it was mammoth.
Construction commenced in January 2004 with excavation and it was not finished until 2010, six years later.
What makes the building stand up and not fall down?
Key components are the central core in the shape of a hexagon, the huge base supporting its weight and the three buttresses supporting it.
The exterior of the Burj Khalifa tower is covered with 24,340 panels of glass.
These curtain wall panels are held in place by hanging from above, and were put in place by September 2009.
Natural light floods each floor, making the building light and airy.
Reflective glass is used to reflect surrounding heat and light from desert.
The glass used reflects UV ultraviolet light to help reduce the heat inside.
Abseilers had the task of washing these 24,340 panels by hand before the building opened.
The strength of the concrete used in the construction is important. The concrete uses 25 different ingredients to make it just right.
Three concrete pumps were used to get the concrete up to all the levels. 165,000 cubic meters of concrete were used.
The Burj Khalifa towers base is built on sand, not rock.
For its foundation, the weight of the building is held up by the friction of piles deep down in the sand. 192 piles support a solid slab of concrete
Three huge cranes with a self-jacking mechanism were used to reach up to the higher floors.
The Burj Khalifa has 900 apartments, 37 floors of offices, a hotel, and an observation deck.
Website: http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/
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