Taipei 101, Taiwan’s world-famous supertall skyscraper, is remarkable for a number of reasons. Until the construction of the Burj Khalifa in 2010, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world. Notably, it is still the world’s tallest and largest green building. The 101-floor structure is 509 meters tall at its tip. Therefore, it is not surprising that the building has been hailed as an engineering marvel. These facts, however, are easily accessible to internet users. Therefore, this post shall focus on some lesser-known details about this supertall skyscraper.
Surprisingly, Taipei 101 is located very close to a major fault line. What is more, the region also regularly endures strong, violent winds. To reduce the impact of strong winds and frequent seismic activity, engineers and designers involved in the construction of Taipei 101 have installed a massive, 730-ton tuned mass damper. Suspended from the 92nd floor to the 87th floor, the damper is not only the largest but also the heaviest tuned mass damper in the world. The damper is also open for public viewing.
Tuned mass dampers are used to reduce the amplitude of mechanical vibrations. The 730-ton damper in Taipei 101 is designed to sway in order to reduce, if not counteract, movements caused by strong winds and seismic activity. The damper is made primarily of steel and is held in place by eight strong steel cables. However, it must be noted that tuned mass dampers do not guarantee safety; they can only prevent structural failure or damage. Dampers are also used in power transmission units and automobiles.
How do tuned mass dampers improve structural stability? Simply put, they do so by moving in opposition to a structure’s resonance frequency oscillations. Dampers are typically controlled using springs, fluids, or pendulums. In fact, the steel damper in Taipei 101 is designed in the form of a pendulum. Although they cannot guarantee safety, tuned mass dampers are essential for skyscrapers, especially supertall skyscrapers: strong winds have been known to cause upper floors of skyscrapers to move more than a meter. This poses a number of dangers. Not only can winds cause severe structural damage and human deaths, but they also tend to cause motion sickness in people occupying the upper floors of endangered skyscrapers. Oscillations may also cause people to panic, which may lead to commotion or stampedes, and both situations tend to have a negative impact on skyscrapers that are already oscillating.
Undoubtedly, tuned mass dampers improve buildings’ seismic performance. They are typically tuned to a building’s frequency, which changes with time. These changes typically occur due to repeated exposure to strong winds. Other factors include ambient temperatures and variations in relative humidity. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor the efficiency of dampers, as well as the changes in a building’s frequency.
Moreover, Taipei 101’s structural system includes a core and an outrigger. Its core consists of 16 steel columns, whereas its perimeter is lined with 8 extremely strong steel columns. In other words, the tuned mass damper is not the only structural component that enhances Taipei 101’s seismic performance. Taipei 101 may no longer be the world’s tallest building, but it is a remarkable feat of engineering and design.
Science and Arts Education 