Constructing Earthquake Resistant Skyscrapers

At Conco we have been busy providing concrete services for the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles that is one of the tallest buildings to be constructed in a seismic hot zone.  The building’s design has been put through extensive scrutiny and has the benefit of top experts in the field guiding the process to ensure safety. 

Across the globe we have other examples of skyscrapers built in earthquake prone areas where experts have carefully designed and implemented the best practices of earthquake engineering.  One such building is the Zifeng Tower (formerly the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center) in Nanjing, China that was completed in 2010 and is 1,476 ft. tall.  Built in an area known for seismic activity, the skyscraper was designed to withstand earthquake forces that are “between two and six times stronger than those that are normally required by Chinese building codes.”

 

Another area in China that has had its share of earthquakes is Shanghai.  There the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) is one of three super tall skyscrapers that are grouped together in the Lujiazui Financial District in Pudong, Shanghai, China.  In addition to the SWFC, the Shanghai Tower is under construction and will replace the SWFC as the tallest building in China.  The third skyscraper in the group is the Jin Mao Tower.  At 1,614 ft. tall with 101 floors, the SWFC’s “steel trusses are designed to tighten against typhoon strength winds and earthquakes, which allowed the skyscraper to be built using less steel and helped it to earned points for sustainability.” 

The Taipei 101 in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan opened in 2004 and stands at 1,671 ft. tall.  It was designed to withstand adverse conditions that are known to occur in the area such as typhoon strength winds and earthquakes.  The goal was to construct “a structure that could withstand gale winds of 134 mph and the strongest earthquakes likely to occur in a 2,500 year cycle.”  By using strong reinforced concrete supports and an extremely solid foundation, the Taipei 101 is believed to be one of the most stable buildings ever constructed.  

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. and got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. We currently serve California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado.

Sources:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zifeng_Tower, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_World_Financial_Center, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei_101