Dubai Set to Open World's Tallest Tower

[The Thing from Beyond the Edge]

This thing is frikkin' huge. I added nearly 1000 feet to the plans after they started building. That is crazy.

Dubai Set to Open World's Tallest Tower

SPHERE wrote:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Jan. 3) - Dubai is set to open the world's tallest building amid tight security on Monday, celebrating the tower as a bold feat on the world stage despite the city state's shaky financial footing.

But the final height of the Burj Dubai - Arabic for Dubai Tower - remained a closely guarded secret on the eve of its opening. At more than 2,625 feet, it long ago vanquished its nearest rival, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

The Burj's record-seeking developers didn't stop there.

The building boasts the most stories and highest occupied floor of any building in the world, and ranks as the world's tallest structure, beating out a television mast in North Dakota. Its observation deck - on floor 124 - also sets a record.

[Crimson Jester]

um cool.

[The Thing from Beyond the Edge]

It is more than 2625 feet with the exact height currently a secret. So, that puts it dang close to being a half-mile tall. That is practically dumbfounding.

[zylphryx]

The structural engineering required to achieve this is pretty freaking incredible. Should put the concept of a space elevator one step closer.

[Steven Purcell]

10 things to know about the tower

[The Thing from Beyond the Edge]

Steven Purcell wrote:

10 things to know about the tower

Thanks.

[Kruelaid]

Someone right now is thinking of ways to blow this thing up.

[David Fryer]

zylphryx wrote:

The structural engineering required to achieve this is pretty freaking incredible. Should put the concept of a space elevator one step closer.

I expect it does. Particularly with the way they "tune" the building to counteract the sway of the wind.

[David Fryer]

Kruelaid wrote:

Someone right now is thinking of ways to blow this thing up.

And how to build a bigger one.

[David Fryer]

One thing I haven't heard is how they are going to power it. Despite being in a desert, I see no indication that they are using solar, i.e. not photovoltic cells are visible in any of the pictures I have seen.

[Steven Purcell]

Well a space elevator is still quite a ways from this as tall as it is, because the structural stresses are different (this building still has an internal frame developed from the concepts of existing buildings, while a space elevator is essentially an anchor at the top and bottom, a cable running between and a platform that travels along the cable) and a space elevator would much taller and proportionally much more narrow. The materials with the tensile strength needed for a space elevator cable are still being developed. I don't doubt a space elevatot will eventually be developed, but it will take time.

The photovoltaic cells (if any) could be well camouflaged in the design, but chances are that there is some external power source as well.

[Kruelaid]

David Fryer wrote:

One thing I haven't heard is how they are going to power it. Despite being in a desert, I see no indication that they are using solar, i.e. not photovoltic cells are visible in any of the pictures I have seen.

Camels in running wheels?