Scribd
Upload
1K views20 pages

Al Hamra Tower: Kuwait City, Kuwait

The Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait City is the tallest building in Kuwait and the 16th tallest in the world. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and constructed from 2005-2011, it is exceptional for being one of the first desert skyscrapers and having a sculpted reinforced concrete form with cut-outs oriented to the sun path. The tower anchors a 2.1 million square foot commercial complex and was designed using state-of-the-art technology to resemble an elegant hidden figure reflecting the city skyline. Its foundation system includes a 13 foot thick raft and cast-in-place bored piles to support the 1,352 foot tall sculpted form in the sandy soil conditions.

Uploaded by

ayush datta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
1K views20 pages

Al Hamra Tower: Kuwait City, Kuwait

The Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait City is the tallest building in Kuwait and the 16th tallest in the world. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and constructed from 2005-2011, it is exceptional for being one of the first desert skyscrapers and having a sculpted reinforced concrete form with cut-outs oriented to the sun path. The tower anchors a 2.1 million square foot commercial complex and was designed using state-of-the-art technology to resemble an elegant hidden figure reflecting the city skyline. Its foundation system includes a 13 foot thick raft and cast-in-place bored piles to support the 1,352 foot tall sculpted form in the sandy soil conditions.

Uploaded by

ayush datta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Overview of Al Hamra Tower: Introduces the Al Hamra Tower with its location in Kuwait City, highlighting its architectural significance and design team.
  • Design and Engineering: Provides technical details on the design and construction period of Al Hamra Tower, mentioning its scale and unique design features.
  • Concept: Discusses the architectural concepts behind Al Hamra Tower, focusing on its innovative shape and environmental considerations.
  • Layout and Zoning: Details the building's layout strategy, emphasizing tenant zoning and the efficient use of space.
  • Solar Shading: Explains the solar shading techniques utilized in Al Hamra Tower, including the design's interaction with sunlight and heat.
  • Soil Conditions: Analyzes the geotechnical aspects that influenced the building's foundation design, detailing soil characteristics.
  • Foundation System: Outlines the foundational engineering, including concrete rafts and pile systems necessary for structural stability.
  • Pile Phasing: Describes the phased development of pile construction used to ensure stability and adaptability to site conditions.
  • 3-Dimensional Non-Linear Analysis: Presents the computational analysis performed to estimate soil interaction and structure resilience.
  • Lamella Structure: Discusses the innovative structural elements and their role in supporting the building's design aesthetics and functionality.
  • Lateral Loads: Provides data on lateral forces the tower needs to withstand, such as wind loads and their implications.
  • Lateral Resisting System: Details the lateral support frameworks within the building, ensuring resistance to seismic and wind forces.
  • Multiframe Analysis: Illustrates the analytical assessments of load distribution and structural integrity under various lateral loads.
  • Connections: Explores the key connections within the building’s structure, focusing on concrete and steel integration for strength.
  • Torsional Response Due to Gravity Loads: Describes how the building design addresses torsional stresses and supports the overall structure through gravity load management.

AL HAMRA TOWER KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT

SARAH CLAUS, VICTORIA GARCIA, AMBER HOLDEN-O’DONNELL, ERICA SCHNEIDER, HANNAH VOSSLER
DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED BY SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL
CONSTRUCTED FROM 2005-2011

TALLEST BUILDING IN KUWAIT AND CURRENTLY 16TH TALLEST IN WORLD AT 1,352 FT

BUSINESS TOWER ANCHORS A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX – 2.1 MILLION SQ FEET

BUILDING IS EXCEPTIONAL FOR BEING:


FIRST DESERT SKYSCRAPER
ONE OF FEW REINFORCED CONCRETE HIGHRISE STRUCTURES
SCULPTED FORM
CUT-OUTS ORIENTED TO SUN PATH
CONCEPT

STRIVED TO CREATE A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE


USING STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY

BUILDING RESEMBLES AN ELEGANT


HIDDEN FIGURE WITH A DELICATE
GLASS VEIL REFLECTING THE
SILHOUETTE OF THE CITY

BASED ON SITE ALLOTMENT AND SUN PATH


LAYOUT

• CENTER CORE- CIRCULATION, BATHROOMS

• PERIMETER OFFICE SPACE WITH VIEWS

• REVELATION OF FLOOR SUBTRACTIONS


• STRIVE FOR EQUILIBRIUM

STRATEGICALLY PLACED

HIGH OCCUPANCY AREAS

AND MECHANICAL ROOMS

WATER STORAGE AND

HEAVY EQUIPMENT PLACED

AWAY FROM SOUTHWEST

FLARED WALL

• GROUND CONNECTION TO

COMMERCIAL
SOLAR SHADING
• FLARED WALLS BASED ON SUNPATH

• DEEP ANGLED WINDOWS

• STONE WALL

• INSULATED GLASS
SOIL CONDITIONS
- SUBSURFACE
- SANDY, SILTY, LOOSE SOIL
- MEDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY
- 1-4M DEEP

- GROUND WATER TABLE


MIMICS TOPOGRAPHY
- PHREATIC WATER LEVEL: 2M BELOW GRADE

- 75M BELOW GRADE


- CEMENTED SANDSTONE & SILTSTONE

AL HAMRA TOWER, KUWAIT CITY


FOUNDATION SYSTEM
- REINFORCED CONCRETE RAFT
13FT THICK
LOAD DISPERSED OVER CONCRETE SLAB
- CONSTRUCTED OVER 15 POURS OVER 4 MONTH PERIOD,
ALLOWED CURING TIME FOR CEMENT

- CAST IN PLACE BORED PILES


ALLOWABLE SPACING: 1200 M
MAXIMUM PILE DIAMETER: 3600 MM CENTER TO CENTER

-
PILE PHASING
- ADAPT TO SPIRALING FORM
ELIMINATE DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT
DEPENDABLE FOR AREAS WITH FINE GRAINED SOILS
WITHSTANDS EROSION AND WASHOUTS
DEEPER PILES SPACED CLOSELY TOGETHER PLACED IN HIGH STRESS AREAS

- 289 PILES
EACH 66-89FT, RELEASED IN 7 PHASES

PILE CONSTRUCTION PHASING ON SITE PILE LOAD TESTING


3-DIMENSIONAL NON-LINEAR ANALYSIS
-DONE BY SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF URS CORPORATION (URS) & PROJECT GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER
(CONSULTANCY GROUP COMPANY) CGC

- CALCULATED FOUNDATION SOIL STRATA & STIFFNESS ESTIMATIONS

- URS RESULTS:
- GROUP ACTION OF PILES
- PERIMETER PILES STIFFER
- SOIL CAUSED SKIN RESISTANCE
TO BE DRUG DOWN

-CGC RESULTS:
- PILES ACTING INDIVIDUALLY
- ALL PILES HAD SIMILAR LOADS
LAMELLA STRUCTURE
FOUR PART STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

1) PRIMARY LOAD BEARING COLUMNS


2) SECONDARY COLUMNS - REDUCE BUCKLING LENGTH
3) CURVED SIDEWAY MEMBERS
4) LATTICEWORK

LAMELLA ELEMENTS
LAMELLA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

LAMELLA LOAD DISTRIBUTION

SOM RENDERING
LATERAL LOADS

• IN A REGION OF LOW SEISMIC ACTIVITY


• WIND FORCES ARE PRIMARY LATERAL
LOADING
• AIR MASSES FROM GULF CAUSE
BRIEF AND POWERFUL WIND
DOWNBURSTS
• ESTIMATED WIND SPEED: 23 M/S
• WIND LOADS NOT CRITICAL
ABOVE 150 METER ELEVATION

CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PERSIAN GULF = COOL


PREVAILING WINDS THAT COLLIDE WITH WARM
DESERT AIR AND CAUSE THUNDERSTORMS
LATERAL LOADS

AIR FLOW STUDIES WIND TUNNEL STUDY MODEL


LATERAL RESISTING SYSTEM

• “CAST-IN-PLACE REINFORCED-
CONCRETE SHEAR WALL CORE
SUPPLEMENTED BY A PERIMETER SHEAR WALL CORE
MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME”
• CORE ALSO RESISTS SEISMIC LOADS
• MOMENT RESISTANCE FROM CAST-IN-
PLACE FRAME BEAMS

PERIMETER FRAME
ON EACH FLOOR
MULTIFRAME ANALYSIS

y
y

z x
z x

SHEAR WALL CORE


15 K

AXON MOMENT DIAGRAM AXON SHEAR DIAGRAM

PLAN VIEW OF BUILDING WITH


DIST. LATERAL LOADS
NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE
NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE

PLAN VIEW OF DEFLECTIONS AXON DEFLECTION DIAGRAM


CONNECTIONS
• reinforced concrete and structural
steel.

• monolithically cast concrete

• Connections are rigid


TORSIONAL
RESPONSE DUE TO
GRAVITY LOADS
• “flared walls” require the gravity
load support
• Torsional gravity load applied to
core of the structure require
considerations of the long-term
vertical and torsional deformation
of the structure
• Southeast flared wall leans into the
building
• Southwest flared wall leans away
from building
• Inclined columns and walls support floor
framing

• Slabs add gravity loads to inclined


components, and the vertical load is
increased.

• Horizontal element of force in the inclined


component must increase along with the
vertical component.

• Slab must apply a horizontal load to the


intersection.
Static equilibrium at flared wall
• Inclined components slant away from slab =
tension

• Inclined components slants toward slab =


compression

• Resolution static equilibrium

• Net torsional moment

Floor analysis model


Sarkisian, Mark, Aybars Asci, Neville Mathias, and Aaron Mazeika.
“Sculpting a Skyscraper.” Civil Engineering September 2012: 52-61.
Print.

Agarwal, R., N. Atari, L. Hu, N. Mathias, A. Mazeika, M. Sarkisian.


“Sculpted High-rise, The Al Hamra Tower.” Structural Engineers
World Congress November 2007: 1-17. Print.

[Link]
[Link]

You might also like