Tall buildings of gigantic scales are constructed with enormous amounts of resources, including structural materials. While the required amount of most building materials becomes more or less proportionally greater as a building becomes taller, that of structural materials becomes exponentially larger due to the structural principle called "premium for height." Therefore, to minimize the premium, it is crucial to employ efficient structural systems and optimize their design by saving materials resulting in sustainable tall buildings through the preservation of resources. Using less material also means reducing embodied energy for the chosen material. While there are many intertwined aspects for the structural design of tall buildings, this chapter focuses on some selected major structural systems in terms of efficiency that can create more sustainable built environments.

Chapter Contents:

• 7.1 Introduction
• 7.2 Tubular systems for sustainable structures
• 7.2.1 Framed tube and bundled tube
• 7.2.2 Braced tube
• 7.2.3 Braced megatube
• 7.2.4 Diagrids
• 7.2.5 Optimal lateral stiffness distribution for tubular structures
• 7.3 Outrigger structure
• 7.3.1 Structural design and performance of outrigger system
• 7.3.2 Comparative premium for height
• 7.4 Hybrid structural systems
• 7.4.1 Supertalls with mixed structural systems
• 7.4.2 Lateral stiffness distribution alternatives in mixed systems
• 7.5 Superframed conjoined towers for sustainable megatalls
• 7.5.1 Superframed conjoined towers with single-link structures
• 7.5.2 Superframed conjoined towers with multiple-link structures
• 7.6 Conclusion
• References

Inspec keywords: buildings (structures); design for environment; structural engineering; design engineering; building materials; sustainable development

Other keywords: building materials; chosen material; selected major structural systems; sustainable structural design; structural materials; sustainable tall buildings; structural principle; efficient structural systems; premium

Subjects: Design; Engineering materials; Building structures; Environmental issues; Construction industry