The Burj Al Arab Re Inventing the City of Dubai

The Burj Al-Arab: Re-Inventing the City of Dubai

Matt Sims

Introduction to Structural Engineering

Spring 2011

Overview of Presentation

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Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid sought to use oil money to ensure a stable economy for the future.

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Before 1960s 1960s to Present (2016?) Future

Shaikh Mohammed awards the design contract to Atkins.

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The team of designers and builders was led by chief architect Tom Wright.

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The shaikhs iconic hotel would resemble a yacht rising out of the water.

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The man-made island was constructed using large rocks with an armor layer of hollow concrete blocks.

Island Construction Basement Excavation Foundations Hotel Construction 7

McNicholas had to ensure that pressure from the gulf would not blast away the basement of the hotel.

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Island Construction Basement Excavation Foundations Hotel Construction

Reinforced concrete piles relied on skin friction to support the foundation.

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The hotel structure is composed of concrete walls, a steel exoskeleton, and a concrete core.

Its okay for the architect to draw pretty pictures, but we have to build it.

- Malcolm Murphy

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The diagonal trusses down each side of the building were 85 meters long and weighed 165 tons.

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The trusses were connected to the exoskeleton using giant washers with offset holes and steel pins.

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Vortex shedding around the exoskeleton could shake the building apart.

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Tuned mass damper systems were chosen as a solution to the vortex shedding problem.

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The Al Muntaha restaurant was suspended 200 m above the sea using an arrangement of 10 steel cantilever beams.

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The Burj Al-Arab is referred to as the worlds premier 7-star hotel.

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$650 Million

321 m

250,000 T

270 m off Coast

Worlds Largest Atrium (180 m)

Worlds Largest Fabric Wall

202 Palatial Suites

Shaikh Mohammeds dream is becoming a reality.

The Burj Al-Arab was the first of several artificial islands and unique high-rise projects and is now the international symbol for Dubai.

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Palm Jumeirah Palm Jebel Ali Palm Deira The World Islands

Emirates Towers Burj Khalifa

Questions?

Matt Sims [email protected]

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Content Sources

http://www.shapeshift.net/2009/03/burj-al-arab-construction/

http://worldstallestskyscrapers.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/burj-al-arab-construction/

http://www.atkinsdesign.com/html/projects_hotels_burj_al.htm

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Picture Sources (in order of appearance)

http://www.jmorganmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dubai-map.jpg

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/1/u/d/Z/I/c/speech-bubble-md.png http://precisetechusa.com/images/three_engineers_in_hard_hats_with_map

.jpg http://www.tomwrightdesign.com/PageLibraryAssets/BurjAlArabSketch.jpg?3

3 http://www.dubaihotel.ws/construction/Construction-of-burj-al-arab.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/01/25/article-0-052C7D840000044D-

99_468x502.jpg http://www.internetstones.com/image-files/arab-pearl-divers-persian-gulf-

kuwait-baharain.jpg http://topnews.ae/images/Dubai-crude.jpg http://www.destination360.com/middle-east/united-arab-emirates/dubai-

beach-hotels

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http://jobblogr.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/atkins-logo.jpg http://halmapr.com/news/apollo/2007/ http://www.bestbuildings.co.uk/wp-

content/uploads/2009/11/Atkins_Chatelherault_3.jpg http://www.jobsbump.com/wp-content/gallery/default/burj-al-arab-

hotel-dubai-jobs.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-

O9hyQp5rpWs/TYWu2CN9T3I/AAAAAAAAAaM/xvhRsUA77ic/s320/Worlds+Tallest+Hotel+Burj+Al-Arab.avi_000422800.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_r4TzZPyyD-c/SmCCnHflqJI//Ie1CI-o8naA/s400/architect.jpg

http://www.thecwcgroup.com/CWCFiles/Event_Content/Rob%20Ruse.jpg

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/images/magazines/commercial_interior_design/2007_05_01/Khuan_thumb.jpg

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http://www.ci.port-washington.wi.us/Photos/Sailboats/SailboatMainStreetByDanLaurence.jpg

http://www.dubai-architecture.info/burj_al_arab-full.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/523157633_dd2d83368c.jpg http://www.lbkarp.com/baybridge/inside_cofferdam_c.jpg http://www.getintravel.com/wallpaper/wp-

content/uploads/2011/01/burj-al-arab-wallpaper-1920x1200.jpg http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_218/1197751729csnRtF.j

pg http://sumerasblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/burj-al-arab-6.jpg http://www.esacademic.com/pictures/eswiki/66/Burj_Al_Arab_on_7_

September_2007_Pict_6.jpg

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http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Technology/images/stacks-of-money.jpg

http://www.arabiahorizons.com/cms/imagebank/image/4861e432910ea.jpg

http://sdangit.com/wp_sd/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/al-muntaha.jpg

http://imbibemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/02-burj-al-arab-helipad.jpg

http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/burjalarab/burjalarab1.gif

http://www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/Pictures/Tiger%20Woods.jpg

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http://www.thatsdubai.com/dubai-images/palm-tree-island-Dubai.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dxI6nMM9x-

o/SXSjiMpznVI/AAAAAAAABvk/zZ_mJpgJPzs/s320/dubai+palm+island.jpg http://www.nela.in/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/the-palm-islands-

dubai.jpg http://blog.luxuryproperty.com/wp-content/uploads/image/dubai/The-

World-islands-Dubai.jpg http://completewellbeing.com/static/img/articles/2008/03/dubai-darshan-

emirates-tower.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_162jLa8kOgs/TQW1xBDpWnI/AAAAAAAAA80/fGa

zvOWlC9U/s1600/BurjKhalifa1.jpg http://static2.bigstockphoto.com/thumbs/3/6/1/large2/163925.jpg http://www.gulfadventures.ae/gulfatd/images/stories/sigplus/tours/burj_al_

arab_dinner_or_lunch/Burj_Al_Arab_Interior_on_25_December_2007_Pict_12.jpg

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The Burj Al Arab Re Inventing the City of Dubai

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