The Structural Systems oF Tall Buildings - Tall Buildings: Structural Systems and Aerodynamic Form - page 17

The examples of systems listed above are given in Chapter 4 and the Appendix under
“Tall Building Case Studies” and “Examples of Tall Buildings and Structural Systems”.
For “tall buildings” of 40 storeys and below, “rigid frame systems”, “flat plate/slab
systems”, “core systems” and “shear wall systems” are used. For “supertall buildings”
and “skyscrapers” over 40 storeys, the necessity for an economic and efficient
structural system satisfying both the structural safety and serviceability (occupancy
comfort) to be limited to a maximum lateral drift due to lateral loads of approximately
1/500 of the building height, reduces the choice of structural system. For this reason,
for buildings of more than 40 storeys, “shear-frame systems”, “mega column systems”,
“mega core systems”, “outriggered frame systems” and “tube systems” are used.

Supertall building / skyscraper structural systems:

• shear-frame systems
• shear trussed frame/braced frame systems
• shear walled frame systems
• mega column (mega frame, space truss) systems
• mega core systems
• outriggered frame systems
• tube systems
• framed-tube systems
• trussed-tube systems
• bundled-tube systems.

The number of floors that can be reached efficiently and economically by structural
systems for tall buildings and supertall buildings/skyscrapers is shown in Table 3.1 .
The structural system in supertall buildings/skyscrapers is closely connected to
the form and function of the building, and thus to architectural design. The choice
of structural system has an important effect on the building facade and interior use
(the service core, including elevators, stairs, emergency exits and wet areas, and
the net usable area other than the service core). From an economic point of view,
local materials and construction techniques play a decisive role in the use of steel,

TaBle 3.1 Tall building structural systems and the number of floors they can reach

Tall building structural systems, and tentatively the number
of floors they can reach efficiently and economically

10 20 30 40 >40

Rigid frame systems
Flat plate/slab systems with columns and/or shear walls
Core systems
Shear wall systems
Shear-frame systems
(shear trussed / braced frame and shear walled frame
systems)
Mega column (mega frame, space truss) systems
Mega core systems
Outriggered frame systems
Tube systems