A tower over one kilometer high is being built in Saudi Arabia
Approximately one-third of the Jeddah Tower, currently under construction in Saudi Arabia, will be located above the atmospheric boundary layer under the project's calculated conditions. According to the project's lead engineer, John Peronto, special climate models and aerodynamic tests were required because wind characteristics change at such an altitude.
A tower over one kilometer high is rising in Saudi Arabia
Being built on the coast of the Red Sea, the projected height of this tower exceeds one kilometer. According to the provided information, construction has currently reached 462 meters and the 115th floor. To fully complete the building, it needs to be raised by more than another half a kilometer. The Fischer company and project participants plan to complete the construction in 2028.
John Peronto, managing director of Thornton Tomasetti and project leader, explained that conventional building codes do not adequately reflect wind effects on all parts of such a massive building. For this reason, engineers developed special climate models and conducted extensive tests in a wind tunnel.
Peronto noted that stronger winds are more likely to be observed above the atmospheric boundary layer. However, the maximum calculated loads on the structure may be even lower than in the area close to the ground surface, where the airflow is more turbulent.
The shape of the tower is adapted to reduce wind impact. Three wings extend from the central core, and the cross-section of the building tapers as it rises. This shape limits wind vortices from affecting the tower uniformly along its entire height.
The atmospheric boundary layer is the lower layer of air where the direct influence of the Earth's surface is felt. Its height is not constant: it varies depending on the time of day, weather, temperature, wind, and surface characteristics.
Therefore, the estimate that one-third of the tower will be above this layer applies to specific calculated conditions. This does not mean that the building will extend beyond the atmosphere.
In addition to height, there are other complexities at the construction site. Due to the proximity to the Red Sea, equipment and connections are exposed to high temperatures, humidity, and salty air.
The German company Fischer is supplying chemical anchoring systems and high-strength steel anchors for the project. They transfer the load from the fastened elements to the concrete. The company emphasized the importance of the long-term reliability of connections in such an environment.
The main structure of Jeddah Tower is designed from reinforced concrete. Interconnected walls absorb vertical and lateral loads.
At the foundation of the tower lies a reinforced concrete slab five meters thick. It rests on 270 bored piles with a diameter of approximately 1.8 meters. The deepest piles go down to 105 meters.