BURJ 

KHALIFA

Engineering the World’s Tallest Building 

Part 1

Bradley Young  PE SE
Associate Director
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
LLP
Dubai, U.A.E.
1990 2007

Sheikh Zayed Road

Dubai
Dubai Marina 2008 Sheikh Zayed Road 2008
Downtown Dubai

Developer: EMAAR Properties

Site: 500 Acres

Area: 40,000,000 sf

Program: Burj Dubai

Dubai Office Park
Residential Towers Hotel

Dubai Mall

Old Town
Villas
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Evolution of the Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa: An Overview

Owner: Emaar Properties PJSC

Height: 2,715’ (828 m)

Levels: 164

Total Tower Area: 3,000,000 sqft

Total Podium Area: 2,000,000 sqft

Construction start: January 2004

Project completion: 2009

© 2003 All rights reserved.

© SOM
 Holders of the Title of “World’s Tallest Building”

Singer Woolworth Trump Chrysler Empire World Sears Petronas Burj

Met Life Taipei 101
Bld Building Bld Bld State Trade Tower Towers Khalifa
1909 2004
1908 1913 1930 1930 1931 1972 1974 1998 2009

Span of 100 years
Definitions of Building Height

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 
has established 3 official definitions of building 
height.  The Burj Khalifa Tower is the tallest 
building in all three categories:

‐ Height to Architectural Top – 2717ft
(previously Taipei 101 @ 1670ft)
‐ Highest Occupied Floor – 2034ft
(previously Shanghai World Financial
Center @ 1555ft)
‐ Height to Tip – 2723ft
(previously Sears Tower @ 1729ft)
 What made it possible?

• Structural Systems
(New Prototype)

• Wind Engineering

• Integration of Systems

• Construction Technology

© Spectra Maxima
Limitations of Scaling

Super-tall buildings are not

practical or efficient if they are
“scaled-up” versions of smaller
buildings.

Super-tall heights require new

typologies
Limitations of Useable Interior Space
Tower Palace 3
Seoul
Why Build Tall Buildings?

• Maximizes land value

• Offers superior views 

• Symbol of prestige

• Landmark structure

• Can be a real catalyst for
economical development

• Offers greater opportunities for 
sustainability

• Can be economically efficient
 Fast

• Structural and architectural solutions take into account constructability, speed of erection,
and cost. Construction and technical issues are considered early, eliminating redesign iterations and
construction problems.

Jump‐forming system allows
Rapid, cost‐effective construction
Efficient
• Structural designs are optimized for the unique structural demands of
tall buildings, maximizing strength and stiffness and minimizing structural
quantities. Efficient structures are often naturally elegant structures.

Example of least‐weight structure
Dirigible frame

Example of least‐weight structure
Agricultural irrigation trusses
 Elegant
• Engineering solutions that are at once rational, appropriate, practical, and efficient are naturally elegant.
An elegant design will reveal it’s underlying logic and will be attractive in it’s own right.
•
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Tower Tiers and Plans

Spire 3 Level 76

Tier 24 Tier 7

Spire 1
Tier 22

Level 156 Level 43
Tier 16 Tier 4

Level 144
Tier 13

Level 139
Tier 12 Level 19
Tier 1

Level 124
Tier 11

Level 112
Tier 10 Level 7
Tier 0
Level 79
Tier 9
 PINNACLE
FINIAL
Building Mixed
Use Program

Total Tower Area:
3,000,000 sqft
279,000 m
Total Podium Area:
2,000,000 sqft
186,000 m

Communication
Boutique Offices
Luxury Residential
Residential
Serviced Residences
Hotel Residences
Hotel
TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN
© SOM
© SOM
 Hotel Residential
Y Shaped Floor plan

© SOM
© SOM
© SOM
© SOM
© SOM
© SOM
Tall Building Design Considerations

•Wind Engineering

•Stack Effect

•Vertical Shortening

•Building Services Systems

•Coordination of Services
GENERAL STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING 
DESIGN
Structural System Description

Steel Braced Frame
spire, communication

Reinforced Concrete Core Wall System
hotel / residential / office

Pile Supported Raft Foundation
HEIGHT

SOURCE DATA FROM WWW.SKYSCRAPERS.COM

R/C HammerHead Wall R/C Nose Columns
[ 1300 mm ] [ 1500 mm dia. ]

Edge of R/C
R/C Corridor Shear Wall Flat Plate
[ 650 mm ]
R/C Link Beam
R/C Perimeter Column
[ 3500 x 600 ]

R/C Hexagonal
Core Wall
[ 600 mm ]

TYPICAL STRUCTURAL PLAN

Engage Nose Columns for
Increased Moment of Inertia

Hammerhead “Flange” Walls

High Flexural Stiffness

“Web” Walls
Resist Shear

Hexagonal Central Core

High Torsional Stiffness

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
 Lower Mechanical Levels

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
R/C Outrigger Walls
To Nose Columns

Edge of R/C
Flat Plate
R/C Outrigger Walls
To Perimeter Column

R/C Link Beam

R/C Hexagonal
Core Wall

TYPICAL MECHANICAL PLAN

 CANTILEVER EFFICIENCY

NON-LINEAR STRESS PROFILE LINEAR STRESS PROFILE

LOW CANTILEVER EFFICIENCY HIGH CANTILEVER EFFICIENCY
IEFF < ITHEORY IEFF ~ ITHEORY
 CONTINUOUS
HEXAGONAL CORE

SETBACK
MODULES

BUTTRESS WALLS

ETABS
ANALYSIS MODEL
1 4 7 10

11

2 5 8

12

13
3 6 9
Structural Overview

Y‐shaped floor plan is ideal for residential program 
– Maximizes window perimeter to floor plate area
– Is inherently stable 

Buttressed core
– Three wings arranged around central core
– Each wing supports other two

Setbacks occur at each wing in a spiraling pattern 
– Reduces vortex shedding by changing building shape 24 
times 
– Modular system = no transfers

All high performance concrete construction
– Reinforced concrete core walls linked to exterior 
columns
– More rigid structure = less motion
© 2003 All rights reserved.
 Strength of Materials
STEEL

Cube Strength Cylinder Strength

50 N/mm2 ………………… 5800 psi
60 N/mm2 ……………....... 7000 psi
80 N/mm2 ……………....... 9300 psi

Modulus of Elasticity
41,000 N/mm2……………. 6,000 ksi
43,800 N/mm2……………. 6,350 ksi
Concrete Mix Design

“Bi-Mix”
Portland Cement / Fly Ash
Superplasticizer
“Near” SCC
Viscosity Modifying Admixture
Core Wall
Elevation

Setback Setback
Level Level

Deformed Shape 
(exaggerated)

Outrigger Wall
at Mechanical
Wing B Core
Wall Elevation
Link Beam Design by 
Strut and Tie

Crack Pattern at Failure

S&T Model Load‐Deformation Response
 (a) At a service load

Encased Steel Plate Reinforced 
Concrete 
Link Beam

12000
Stresses at Factored  Load
(b) At a factored load

10000
Applied shear (kN)

8000

6000

4000
Factored load
2000 Vector2
ABAQUS(Smeared cracking)

0
ABAQUS(Damaged plasticity)
Stresses at Failure
(c) At a failure load
0 4 8 12 16 20
Vertical displacement (mm)

Link Beam Load‐Deformation Response
 S-FRAME ETABS
MODEL CALIBRATION - VERIFICATION

• Parallel FE Model
Beam Model vs. Shell Model

• Analytical Clues
Load Distribution
Deflected Shape

• Hand Calcs

• Experience
 S-FRAME ETABS
MODEL CALIBRATION - VERIFICATION
WIND ENGINEERING
ULTRA-TALL BUILDINGS

• STRENGTH
• STABILITY
• SERVICEABILITY
(HABITABILITY - COMFORT)
PERCEPTION OF MOTION:
VISUAL CUES
AUDIBLE CUES
INERTIAL FORCES
TALL BUILDING AERODYNAMICS

20:1
TALL BUILDING AERODYNAMICS
 SLENDERNESS RATIO COMPARISON

SEARS TOWER JOHN HANCOCK PRUDENTIAL BURJ-DUBAI

6.4 6.6 8.2 8.6
 GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING THE
ACCEPTABILITY OF WIND-INDUCED
MOTIONS OF TALL BUILDINGS
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Acceptable Hourly Peaks

Satisfy Both Annual Once in 10 Years

Exceedance Exceedance
• Peak Accelerations
- Residential 5-7 milli-g 10-15 milli-g
- Hotel 7-9 milli-g 15-20 milli-g
- Office 9-12 milli-g 20-25 milli-g

• Peak Torsional
1.5 milli-rad/sec 3.0 milli-rad/sec
Velocity

Other Acceleration Criteria Guidelines by:

• International Organization for Standards (ISO)
• Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ)
OCCUPANT PERCEPTION OF MOTION
OCCUPANT PERCEPTION OF MOTION
 OCCUPANT PERCEPTION OF MOTION

• Frequency = 0.23 Hz • Frequency = 1.0 Hz

• Acceleration = 30 milli-g • Acceleration = 30 milli-g
Vortex Shedding
Burj Khalifa Disorganized Vortex Shedding Behavior
 BURJ DUBAI
AERODYNAMIC SHAPING

• VERTICALLY TAPERED PROFILE

• VERTICALLY REDUCED WIND SAIL

• ‘NOTCHES’ – FLOOR PLATE GEOM.

SOLID SPIRE

NOTCHED SPIRE
 MODE 1 MODE 2 MODE 5
TRANSLATION TRANSLATION TORSION
P = 11 sec. P = 10 sec. P = 4.5 sec.

DYNAMIC FREQUENCY ANALYSIS

HIGH FREQUENCY FORCE BALANCE TEST
RWDI WIND TUNNEL LABORATORY
 CLADDING JACKET

TUNED SPINE

AEROELASTIC WIND TUNNEL MODEL

AEROELASTIC WIND TUNNEL MODEL
AEROELASTIC WIND TUNNEL MODEL
 BUILDING ORIENTATION

NORTH

Higher impact
Lower impact wind direction
wind direction

Orientation of Burj Khalifa
Fin Configuration 1 Fin Configuration 2

Pinnacle Vortex Shedding Mitigation Studies
April 2006 
Fin Configuration 3
© Spectra Maxima
Cladding Pressure Testing
Curtain Wall Wind Pressure Diagram
1:50 Scale Model of Upper Portion
High Reynolds Number Tests, Re ~ 2x106

Note:
Full scale
Re~7x107
Wind Tunnel Testing (Reynolds Number)
Pedestrian Level Wind Study
Pedestrian Level Wind Study
Terrace Level Wind Study
Wind Mitigation on Upper Terraces

© RWDI
 Wind Mitigation on Terraces & Trellis Design

© SOM © SOM © SOM

 Burj Khalifa 
Wind Tunnel Testing Program

Climate Studies
High Frequency Force Balance Tests
Aeroelastic Tests
Aerodynamic Stability Tests
Cladding Pressure Tests
Pedestrian Level Comfort Tests
Spire Wind Fatigue Tests
Stack Effect Studies
Auxiliary Damper Studies
Spire Construction Stage Tests
Thermal Comfort Studies
Special Reynolds Number Tests
Pinnacle Vortex Shedding Mitigation Tests
Burj Dubai Wind Tunnel Testing Program

Timeline
Evolution of the Burj Khalifa

May 2003 November 2004 September 2005

 Structural Engineering

Wind Engineering:

© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

 Final Scheme
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP Maximum Tested Height
© RWDI © RWDI
SEISMIC DESIGN

•Seismic Zone 2A per Dubai Municipal 
Regulation

•Seismic Response Spectrum Analysis

•IBC 2003 Seismic Detailing

•Wind forces governed the vast majority of 
the Tower structure

•Seismic forces governed a portion of the top 
of the Tower due to higher mode behavior
CREEP & SHRINKAGE ANALYSIS
TIME DEPENDENT ANALYSIS
• Construction Sequence Pinnacle

Transition to Steel
Structure

Reinforced Concrete
Structure
3.7 meter mat
Construction Sequence & Time Dependent Analysis
Construction Sequence & Time Dependent Analysis
Construction Sequence & Time Dependent Analysis
Construction Sequence & Time Dependent Analysis
Burj Khalifa 
Engineering the World’s Tallest Building 

• Structure is optimized for material efficiency
Direct Gravity Load Path
Wide Effective Structural ‘footprint’
• Tower was designed / engineered in wind tunnel
Shape Modifications / features
Orientation
• Issue of Scale is Addressed
• Conventional Materials – New Typology 
BURJ KHALIFA

Engineering the World’s Tallest Building 

Part 2

Bradley Young  PE SE
Associate Director
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
INTERDISCIPLINARY COORDINATION 
 Typical Builders Work Drawing for Plans

Builders Work Plan

© SOM
 Typical Builders Work Drawing for Plans

Structural Plan

© SOM
Tower Shear Wall Penetration Philosophy – Core Interior

1. Elevator Lobbies
5

2. Electrical Closets 3

3. Plumbing Closets
1
4. IT/Security Closets

5. Combined Closets
4 4

3 5

1 1

2
2
Tower Shear Wall Penetration Philosophy – Hex Walls

1 ‐ 300mm for electrical
Where services route under the 
beam, corridor wall penetrations 
1 ‐ 300mm for plumbing and 
are placed within the “beam 
fire protection
zone”, so as not to conflict with 
the corridor routings

At higher floor heights
IT and security to route under 
(mechanical floors, transfer 
the beam
floors, lower levels), all 
services route
under the beam

Typical Elevation of Hex Wall at Corridor
Typical Tower Corridor Wall Penetration Philosophy – Apartment Levels

No Penetrations At least one set of 5
in Corridor Wall typical penetrations
Link Beam per bay

2 – 150mm for plumbing

1 – 75mm for electrical

1 – 75mm for fire prot.

1 – 100mm for IT/sec

Typical Corridor Wall Bay at Apartment Level (Level 43 – 98)

Each unit to receive at least
Additional 3 – 100mm for mech at 
1‐75mm electrical
end of each corridor
1‐100mm IT/sec
1‐50mm cold water
Placement of Slab Penetrations to Avoid Wall Penetrations

slab penetrations are 
located so as to avoid wall 
penetrations
Structural Slab Penetration Guidelines

slab penetrations
placed to avoid
interrupting rebar
Architectural Systems

•Facade

•Entrance Pavilions

•Window Washing

•Vertical Transportation

•Fire Life Safety
 Facade System

•Approximately 1,500,000 sqft of Cladding

•Designed as prefabricated unitized system 
to facilitate on site erection and logistics

•Major Materials
– High performance insulating glass
– Patterned stainless steel spandrel panels
– Polished stainless steel vertical mullions
– Natural anodized aluminum mullions
Tower Cladding Mock‐up
Tower Cladding Testing
Entry Pavilions
Window Washing System
Zone 5
3 wks

Zone 4
4.2 wks

Zone 3
4.3 wks

Zone 2
4.8 wks

Zone 1
6.9 wks
Vertical Transportation

•Express Elevators to Skylobbies
– Residential
– Luxury Residential
– Office

•Hotel

•Observation / Clubs

•Service
Residential Skylobbies
Residential Skylobbies
Fire & Life Safety System

•Fireman’s Elevator and Protected Vestibule

•Areas of Refuge

•Redundant Fire Protection Water Supply

•Floor Smoke Management

•Robust (Reinforced Concrete) Structure
Enclosing Exit Stairs

•Increased Fire Rating to Various Elements
Fire & Life Safety Plan

Typical Floor Exit Stairs
Fire & Life Safety Plan

Typical Area of Refuge
Fire & Life Safety Diagram

Area of Refuge 138

Area of Refuge 111

Area of Refuge 76

Area of Refuge 42
Stack Effect Mitigation

Also known as chimney effect 

Occurs when temperature difference
between exterior and interior air induces
air movement

In a cold climate, warmer inside air rises
through building, colder outside air rushes
in at the base
Stack Effect Mitigation

Process is reversed in a hot climate like
Dubai:
colder air inside falls, drawing in hot
outside air at top of building

Mitigated through:
– Revolving doors/air locks/gaskets
– Mechanical systems balancing
– Air‐tight construction of continuous shafts 
and exterior wall
– Interruption of continuous shafts through 
use of:
Intermediate level lobbies
Areas of refuge
Differential Shortening of Vertical Structural Elements

Issues Potential Problems

•An issue in any tall building •Non‐level floors

•Perimeter columns are more highly          •Visible cracks in architectural floor 
stressed than core walls finishes

•Problem is more pronounced when vertical  •Cracking in structural floor slabs
structural elements are of different materials
•Worst‐case condition of 
•Short span construction increases problem overstressing the outrigger walls

•Accurately predicting column vs. core wall 
shortening is key
Causes of Reinforced Concrete 
Vertical Element Shortening

• Elastic deformation

• Shrinkage deformation

• Creep deformation

Concrete 
creep test
Problems Due to Vertical Structural Elements – MEP Systems

core wall
shortens
core wall

vertical
pipe riser

As designed and first built As building shortens
(if not accounted for)
Tower Piping Systems Expansion Joint Details

Typical Pressure Piping  Typical Pressure Piping 
Riser Support Detail Expansion/Contraction Joint Detail
Lightning Protection
Faraday Cage

Transition from Concrete to Steel

Building Rebar used as Down 
Conductor

Copper Conductor tape 
located on parapet

Conductor loop in slab 
at each set back and mechanical floor

Counterpoise Loop

Piles with Ground 
Conductor
CONSTRUCTION IMAGES 
SITE STRATIGRAPHY

WATER TABLE

BORED PILE
DEPTH
1500 Diameter
R/C Bored Pile (48m)

Structure Above

3700 Deep
Mat Foundation

Tower Foundation Plan
Tower Raft Construction Considerations

• Construction sequencing

• Ease of construction – creation of “pour enhancement strips”

• Use of self consolidating concrete

• Corrosion protection
Raft Construction Sequence

Raft Construction Sequence Plan Construction Joint Detail
Flexural Reinforcement Orientation

Pour enhancement
strip

Primary Bar Layers Secondary Bar Layers
Raft Reinforcement Overlay Plan

600mm x 600mm
access points
Pour Enhancement
Strips

Concrete trunk
Self Consolidating Concrete

• Similar material make‐up as conventional 
concrete, with the addition of 
superplastizers and agents to increase the 
viscosity of the mix

• High fluidity of mix allows concrete to 
compact under its own weight

• Does not require vibration

• Provides for assured consolidation in highly 
reinforced or congested areas

• Shortens construction period since 
vibration is not required
 MATERIAL
TESTING

1 2 3
1. L - BOX FLOW TEST
2. CREEP / SHRINKAGE
3. MOIST CURE CUBES
4. FLOW TABLE
5. TEST CUBES

4 5
Raft Thickness 3700mm = 12’‐1 ½”
Corrosion Protection Strategy

• Specialized waterproofing system

• Increased cover to reinforcement

• Corrosion inhibiting admixtures added to concrete mix

• Design of Raft so as to not crack under service loading

• Cathodic protection system
Waterproofing System

Typical Pile Waterproofing Detail
Cathodic Protection System
© 2003 All rights reserved.
© SOM
CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY FORM SYSTEM

Center Automatic Self

Core Wall Climbing System

Wing Automatic Self

Core Wall Climbing System

Nose
Circular Steel Form
Column

Panel Form System

Slab
With Drop Head Props
 Sequence of Work
Typical Work Sequence
wing-A

C-1 C-3
[Section A-A]

C-2

wing-C
A wing-
B

[Work Sequence]

Level 0
Level -1 3 to 5 levels below 2 levels below
Level -2
Level -3
Level -4
Level -5 2 levels below
6 to 8 levels below
Level -6 3levels below
Level -7 Wing Wing Corridor Core Slab
Level -8 Slab Slab
Level -9 Center Lobby Slab

Nose Slab Wing Corewall Center Corewall Corner Slab

Cranage & Hoisting
Overall Equipments Layout
 Tower Crane - 3 nos.
- T/C#M1 : Favco M440D (25ton)
- T/C#M2 : Favco M380D (25ton)
- T/C#M3 : Favco M220D (11ton)

 Hoist - 14 cages
- Phase 1 (Ground ~ L100) : H/C#1~#4 (8cages)
- Phase 2 (L100 ~ L142) : H/C#5~#6 (4 cages)
- Phase 3 (L142 ~ SL2) : H/C#7 (2 cages)
- Jump Hoist : Jump#1, Jump#2 (2 cages)
Pump#1~#3

 Concrete Pump - 4 nos. T/C#M2 T/C#M3

- Pump#1~#3 (Ground Level) : High Pressure
- Pump#4 (L124) for Secondary Pumping
H/C#3~4
H/C#7
 Concrete Placing Boom - 4 nos.
H/C#5~6
- CPB#1. for Center core : 32m Boom
H/C#1~2
- CPB#2~#4. for Wing core : 28m Boom

T/C#M1
Formwork System

© 2003 All rights reserved.
Construction Planning for Concrete Work
Heat of Hydration & Curing Planning
Construction Planning for Concrete Work
Heat of Hydration & Curing Planning
© SOM
Concrete Pumping

C80 Concrete (f’c = 9,300 psi) has to be

pumped to over 600 meters
Photo: Samar Jodha, SpectraMaxima
Photo: Samar Jodha, SpectraMaxima
Fatigue Resistant Detailing
© Spectra Maxima
Photo: Samar Jodha, SpectraMaxima
Photo: Samar Jodha, SpectraMaxima
Construction Timeline Tracking
Emaar Properties Owner

Turner Intl. General Contractor

SOM Architect / Engineer

Hyder Consulting Geotech / EOR

RWDI Inc. Wind Tunnel Consultant

BLWTL Wind Tunnel Peer Reviewer

Samsung B6/ATC Superstructure Contractor

Nasa / Multiplex Foundations Contractor

BURJ KHALIFA IN OTHER GLOBAL 
CITIES 
© SOM
 h

© SOM
© SOM
© SOM
© SOM | © Miller Hare
COMPLETED IMAGES 
© SOM
© SOM
© Spectra Maxima
© Spectra Maxima
 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

SOM | Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing

SOM | Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
http//pixdaus .com
http://pictzz.blogspot.com/2009/04/lightning-hitting-burj-dubai-tower.html
http://www.wickedreport.com/images/Thunder-Lightning01.jpg
Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill LLP
SOM | Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill LLP
SOM | Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
© SOM
Archithings.com © Spectra Maxima

Skidmore, Owings &

Merrill LLP
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 Burj Khalifa

World’s Tallest Building

World’s Tallest Structure

2009

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