How difficult was it to build the Burj Khalifa?

The Burj Khalifa holds several world records, including tallest building in the world, tallest freestanding structure in the world, highest number of stories, highest observation deck in the world, tallest service elevator in the world, and many more. Being one of the most successful megastructures in the world, the Burj was one of engineering’s most overwhelming undertaking. Aside from the unprecedented resources and manpower required, Reddy Kancharla believes that the construction in itself had its fair share of hardships. Just how difficult was it to build the Burj Khalifa?

Mobility of workers and materials

The construction of the Burj Khalifa became more difficult the taller it got simply because moving people and materials was no easy feat. The finished construction had a total of 57 elevators, a few of which ran as fast as 36km/h as they had to move from the bottom to the top 120 floors within a minute. But during construction, the crew had to use regulation construction cranes and lifts to transport materials and people.

Temperature

Working on the Burj from the outside was hot enough. But on the inside, temperatures reached 40 degrees in the shade. To manage these temperatures, the glass that was installed was coated with silver, which reflected the IR rays away from the building. Had the glass not been coated, the internal temperature would have been just a few degrees below boiling point.

Safety

The safety of the people residing in the Burj Khalifa is one of the most challenging problems designers had to face. Evacuating people from 120 plus stories would be nearly impossible. This is why they created refuge rooms. According to Reddy Kancharla, refuge rooms are where tenants and guests could hide in during fires. They were made with extra layers of reinforced concrete and fireproof sheeting. The doors were also designed not to let smoke leak into the room.

Reddy Kancharla has 25 years of experience in civil construction, geotechnical consultation, and construction QA/QC, and more than a decade in senior management for civil engineering firms. He has most recently worked for Testwell, whose presidency he held until 2010. For more reads on construction and engineering, visit this website.