NAME: OYINLOLA OLUWASEYIFUNMI ADEJUMOKE
MATRIC NO: ARC/2021/040
COURSE CODE: ARC 318
1. EIFFEL TOWER (PARIS, FRANCE, 1889)
Engineer: Gustave Eiffel
Structural Form:
Material: Wrought iron
Type: Lattice tower (trussed structure)
DETAILED STRUCTURAL EXPLANATION:
The Eiffel Tower is an exposed iron truss structure that uses wind bracing
and tapering to manage vertical and lateral loads.
The Eiffel Tower is made up of wrought iron elements connected by rivets,
creating a lattice framework.
It’s shaped like a tapered pyramid (or four-legged pylon) — wider at the
base and narrowing as it rises.
The design acts to minimize wind resistance: the open lattice allows wind to
pass through, reducing lateral pressure.
Gustave Eiffel used graphical static analysis and empirical wind tunnel
testing to shape the tower.
Load Path: Vertical loads (self-weight) travel down the inclined legs, which
spread outward to wide foundation pads. The legs' slope balances some of
the horizontal thrust due to wind, minimizing the overturning moment.
Structural Innovation: It was one of the first tall structures designed
primarily based on aerodynamic forces rather than just material strength.
The truss framework minimizes material usage while maintaining high
strength and stiffness.
It was one of the first structures designed using graphical analysis of wind
loads, making it pioneering in aerodynamic design.
2. BURJ KHALIFA (DUBAI, UAE, 2010)
Architect: Adrian Smith (Skidmore,
Owings & Merrill)
Structural Engineer: William F. Baker
DETAILED STRUCTURAL EXPLANATION:
The Burj Khalifa uses a tripartite "Y" shape plan with a central hexagonal
core, providing exceptional stability.
The Burj Khalifa uses a buttressed core structural system, designed to
efficiently counter wind loads and gravity loads at extreme heights.
The central hexagonal core acts like a super-strong spine.
Three wings ("buttresses") radiate outward from the core. Each wing stiffens
the central core and provides extra anchorage against overturning moments.
The stepped profile (narrowing setbacks as you go higher) confuses wind
vortices — preventing synchronized gusts from causing vibration or
resonance.
Load Path: Vertical loads travel down through the wings and into the robust
concrete mat foundation. Lateral forces are shared between the core and the
wings, distributing stresses efficiently.
Structural Innovation:
It introduced the "buttressed core" concept, now common in super-tall
skyscrapers worldwide
3. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE (SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1973)
Architect: Jørn Utzon
Engineers: Ove Arup & Partners
Structural Form:
Material: Reinforced concrete and precast panels
Type: Shell structure (modular spherical geometry)
DETAILED STRUCTURAL EXPLANATION:
Originally, Utzon envisioned free-form shells, but engineers struggled with
the complex curves.
The breakthrough came when the design evolved into segments of a perfect
sphere, meaning each sail was a portion cut from the same giant sphere. This
allowed standardized, prefabricated molds to be used.
The shells are thin, curved concrete structures — they carry loads primarily
through membrane action, where stresses travel along the surface.
To further stabilize the shells, precast ribs and edge beams were added.
The podium underneath acts like a massive baseplate, anchoring all forces.
Load Path: Loads move through compression in the shells to the supports at
the base.
Structural Innovation: It pushed the limits of thin-shell construction and
prefabrication technology.
SUMMARY COMPARISON TABLE:
STRUCTURAL
BUILDING KEY FEATURE
SYSTEM
Eiffel Tower Iron lattice (trussed) Tapering for wind load management
Reinforced concrete Modular spherical shells for compression
Sydney Opera House
shells loads
Burj Khalifa Buttressed core Tripartite plan for wind resistance
