STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Kavanagh Lecture - Abstract
April 7, 2011
Burj Khalifa: A New Paradigm
by
William F. Baker
Structural Engineering Partner for
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP
ABSTRACT
Burj Khalifa, designed and engineered by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, is one for the record books. At 2,717 feet (828 meters), Burj Khalifa shatters all previous height records and now holds the title of world’s tallest manmade structure. From the project's initial concept design through construction, the combination of several important technological innovations resulted in a building of unprecedented height. Bill Baker, lead structural engineer, will discuss how the team's unique approach toward managing the forces of nature and employing a design process based on experimentation resulted in the creation of an entirely new structural system.
