Saudi Arabia is trying to surpass other countries with the intention to build the tallest building, Kingdom Tower, in Jeddah. According to the construction plans, work begins next week. Saudi Arabia competes with the neighboring Burj Khalifa, the tallest building at 827 meters, in Dubai.
The Royal Tower will have a height of 1 km and will cost $ 1230 million. The 200 - storey building will have a view of the Red Sea. Its construction will require about 5.7 million square meters of concrete and 80 thousand tons of steel. In addition, composite panels and lightweight structures made of composite materials will be used, used in car building, shipbuilding and automotive.
Building such a tall structure, especially on the coast, where salt water can damage it, is simply a feat. The foundation will be laid at a depth of 60 meters and must withstand the effects of seawater from the nearby ocean. As a result, the strength tests of various types of concrete and materials have already been passed.
Wind load is another tricky issue for buildings of this size. To combat this problem, the tower will change its shape every few floors, reducing the wind load on the outermost floors. Delivery of material is also not an easy task for such a tall building.
While the plans to build Kingdom Tower look ambitious, Sang Dae Kim, Director of the Tall Buildings Council, said, “For now, we can build a tower one kilometer or maybe two kilometers high. Any height, we just have a lot of preparatory work to do. ".
