High Rise Structures

This subject introduces students to the special requirements necessary for the successful design of high rise buildings. Elements of high rise building design considered in the subject are structural floor, framing and foundation systems, wind loading including wind tunnel testing and earthquake loading, analysis techniques including computer-aided analysis, vertical movements and second order effects, facade design, construction methods, sustainability concepts and a review of case study buildings. The subject builds on fundamental structural engineering knowledge and when learnt together with other structural engineering electives will provide students who successfully complete the subjects a well-rounded knowledge of a range of structural engineering design skills. Students who complete this subject may find work in a structural engineering consultancy or as a site engineer and work under the supervision of a chartered professional engineer on high rise building designs or design variations.

• 1Describe the multi-disciplinary nature of designing a tall building and the role of a structural engineer in the design of tall buildings
• 2Describe the design criteria and loading conditions for buildings
• 3Develop conceptual designs of floors using different floor systems
• 4Develop conceptual designs of lateral load resisting systems for buildings
• 5Calculate dynamic wind loads on tall buildings using the dynamic response factor approach
• 6Interpret wind tunnel test results to obtain equivalent wind loads
• 7Understand the concepts behind perception of motion, calculate the serviceability acceleration levels in tall buildings responding to wind loading
• 8Develop approximate models for analysing structural systems in buildings
• 9Develop computer models for analysing structural systems in buildings
• 10Develop conceptual designs of foundation systems for different buildings and soil types
• 11Identify different facade systems commonly used in building structures
• 12Identify and analyse different structural systems using case study buildings.