Burj Khalifa - the Worlds Tallest Man-made Structure - Article Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Risk assessment Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2009 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Burj Khalifa the World’s Tallest Man-made Structure 3 Architecture and design 5 Hazard list 7 Risk ranking 9 Hazard analysis 10 Faulty tree 12 \Event tree 13 Event tree depicting the “fire breakout” event within Burj Khalifa 14 Event tree analysis 14 Reliability 14 Business continuity plan 16 Insurance 17 Cost Benefit Analysis 19 Utility 21 Refuge areas 22 Conclusion 22 Fire risk assessment Introduction Proper management of fire safety is necessary to minimize the chances of occurrence of fire incidences or accidents. It is also important to have proper management systems to effectively and successfully control fires in case an accident occurs. In tall buildings, appropriate escape routes should be put in place to ensure safety of the occupants in the event of a fire accident. A fire risk assessment is therefore a methodological and organized look at a building or an event and the activities carried out there and the chances of a fire starting and causing harm to the occupants of the place as well as the people around the building. The objectives of the fire risk assessment are to identify the fire hazards, minimize the risk of those hazards causing harm to the lowest practicable level and decide on the physical fire precautions and management plan policies appropriate to ensure the safety of individuals in the building. Burj Khalifa the World’s Tallest Man-made Structure Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the globe. The erection of the structure was done by Samsung Engineering and building Company. More than 110,000 tones of concrete were used to lay the foundation while more than 330.000 cubic meters of concrete and a further 39.000 tones of steel rebar were used to construct the tower. It is fascinating that the architect who planned the building got his motivation from the outline of the Hymenocallis flower that is found in the Persian Gulf, and this controversy has been quite extensively repeated and exaggerated on the Internet. Construction work on the building started in early 2004 and by July 2007, after the construction of the 141st storey, it became the tallest building in the world (Bianchi & Critchlow, 2010). The final cost of Burj Khalifa is estimated to be over $1.5 billion. Burj Khalifa will be transformed into a vibrant society for thousands of residents, workers, hotel guests and tourists. It will accommodate up to 12,000 people as it is located at the most prestigious square kilometer on earth. The planned hand over to residents will start in February, 2010. The comfortable Armani Residences on levels 9 to 16 will be launched first, followed by the Armani Hotel Dubai, which is situated in the forecourt to level 8 and levels 38 and 39. The Residences which are composed of 900 apartments and The Corporate Suites, a collection of high-end offices will be available to the customers from March. The Council on tall Buildings and Urban habitat (CTBUH) has satisfied that Burj Khalifa has fulfilled the three criteria for towers which are ranked depending on Height to Architectural Top, Height to Highest Occupied Floor and Height to Tip. Dubai’s new icon is far ahead the other notable skyscrapers of the world (Bianchi & Critchlow, 2010). Architecture and design The structure was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merril, who also designed the Willis Tower (initially the Sears Tower) in Chicago and also the World Trade Center in New York City and other famous buildings. The structure resembles the bundled tube make of the Willis Tower, though not a tube structure. Its design is evocative of Frank Lloyd Wright’s idea for The Illinois, a mile-high skyscraper design for Chicago. According to SOM engineer, Marshall Strabala who was a member of the structure’s planning team, Burj Khalifa was planned based on the idea of the 73-floor Tower Palace Three, which is a resident structure in Seoul, South Korea. Burj Khalifa was initially planned to be entirely a residential structure (Bianchi & Critchlow, 2010). Subsequent to the initial design by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Emmar properties contracted Hyder Consulting to be the supervising engineer of the construction of the building. Hyder was chosen for its proficiency in structure and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineering (Some interesting facts on the Burj Dubai, 2009). Hyder building role was to supervise construction, confirm SOM’s plan, and be the engineer and designer of verification to the UAE authorities. Emaar Properties also involved GHD, an worldwide multidisciplinary consulting company, to perform the roles of a free authentication and testing of the concrete and the metal frames used. The design of Burj Khalifa is a consequent of patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture. The structural engineer, Bill Baker asserted that the structure’s design incorporates cultural and historical factors specific to the region. The Y-shaped plan is perfect for residential and hotel usage, with the wings permitting maximum outward ideas and inward natural light (Some interesting facts on the Burj Dubai, 2009). The design architect Adrian Smith stated that the triple-lobed footprint of the structure was inspired by the flower Hymenocallis. The tower encompasses three fundamentals situated around a central core. As the tower ascends from the level barren base, obstructions occur at every factor in an increasing spiraling outline, minimizing the cross section of the structure as it moves from the ground. There are 27 terraces in the structure. At the top, the inner core emerges and is shaped to form a finishing spire. A Y-shaped floor design maximizes views of the Persian Gulf. When viewed from the top or from the base, the form also resembles the onion domes of Islamic architecture. During the design process, the engineers rotated the building to about 120 degrees from its initial layout to minimize the stress arising from prevailing winds. At the tallest point, the structure leans a total of 1.5 meters. To support the extraordinary height of the building, the engineers designed a new structural system referred to as buttresses core, which is composed of a hexagonal core strengthened by three buttresses to create the Y-shape. The structural system allows the structure to support itself tangentially and prevents it from twisting. The spire of structure consists of almost 4,000 tones of structural steel. The inner pinnacle pipe weighs 350 tones and was made from the inside of the structure and jacked to its full height of about 200 meters by a strand jack system. The spire also holds the communications equipment (Some interesting facts on the Burj Dubai, 2009). The exterior cladding of the building is composed of 142,000 square meters of reflective glazing, and aluminum and textured stainless steel spandrel plates with vertical tubular fins. The cladding system is made to withstand the extreme summer temperatures in Dubai. The external temperature at the top of the building is predicted to be six degrees lower than the base. More than 26,000 glass plates were used in the construction of exterior cladding of Burj Khalifa. Floors through to 108 will hold 900 private residential apartments. An outdoor zero-entry swimming pool is located on the 76th floor of the building. Corporate offices and suites occupy other remaining floors save for 122nd to 124th floors. The tower is projected to house up to 35,000 individuals at any one moment. It has a total of 57 elevators and 8 escalators with the capacity of 12 to 14 individuals per cabin the fastest moving at up to 18 meters per second. Though the engineers had thought of installing triple-deck elevators, they ended up installing two deck elevators which are equipped with light and entertainment features such as LCD displays to entertain the visitors. It has 2,909 stairs from the ground floor to the 160th floor (Some interesting facts on the Burj Dubai, 2009). Hazard list Hazard Who might be harmed and how Risk ranking Control measures Further action Construction material The occupants, properties and the building as well. The fire cannot be put off soonest possible Moderate There is fire department that can be notified incase of fire Store the construction material far from possible ignitions Kitchen may lead to even of fire The kitchen staff and all occupants as well Low The kitchen staff supervise any cookery Educate the staff on fire safety measures Electric fault Every occupant. The wire may Medium All electric wires are insulated Check the wire connections regularly Exit routes and emergency drills All occupants. Occupants may fail no notice immediate fire occurrences Low Provide high quality signal building Pay attention to possible confusion within the building Flammable gases All occupants. All occupants will be affected in case flammable gases catch fire Medium Minimize the use of flammable gases in the exterior finishing Inform the occupants of the inflammable gases Inadequate education regarding fire safety measures All occupants. They may not know how to behave incase of fire High There is regular education on fire safety measures Conduct through fire safety education to everyone Insufficient exits Occupants. Incase of fire congestion can occur while escaping Low There are several exits Add some exits Overloading of the electric sockets Occupants. This can cause electric fault Low No intentional overloading No overload Risk ranking Likelihood Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic 1 Almost certain Low Significant High High 2 Likely Low Significant Significant High 3 Unlikely Very low Very low Significant Significant 4 Likely Low Significant Significant High 5 likely low Low Significant Significant 6 Possible Low Low Significant High 7 Rare Very low Very low Low Significant 8 Possible Low Low Significant High Hazard analysis comments criticality rank frequency contingencies safeguards warning devices consequences possible accident trigger(s) location of hazard source of hazard reference number Check the wire connections regularly Low Low noun noun Fire breakout Fire breakage Fire breakout Building Electric fault 1 Conduct through fire safety education to everyone Low Low Fire increase noun Fire increase Damage rise Fire increase Building Inadequate education 2 Store material away from open flames or risk prone areas Very Low Very Low Fire increase noun More damage Damage elevation Fire increase Construction material within the building 3 No socket overload Low Low Noun noun Fire breakout Fire breakage Fire breakout Building Overloading the electric sockets 4 Add some exits Very Low Very Low Swift escape None Hinders escape Damage rise Futile escape Building Insufficient exits 5 Communicate to the relevant occupants on any flammable materials within the building Low Low Late detection Smoke alarms Late escape Accidents and possible death Late Notification Building Flammable gases 6 Pay attention to possible confusion within the building Low Low Late detection Heat alarms Late escape Accidents and possible death Late notification Building Exit routes and emergency 7 Educate the staff on fire safety measures Low Low noun None Fire breakout Fire breakage Fire breakout Building Kitchen may lead to fire 8 Faulty tree Faulty tree analysis is a failure analysis in which an undesired form of a project is assessed using Boolean logic to merge a number of lower-level events. This analysis technique is commonly used in the safety engineering sector to quantitatively determine the likelihood of a safety hazard. Below is the faulty tree analysis of Burj Khalifa ((Rechard, 2000). \Event tree An event tree is a graphical illustration of the logic model that locates and quantifies the likely following an initiating event. Event tree analysis offers an inductive approach to reliability evaluation as they are constructed using forward logic. Faulty trees employ a deductive approach since they are developed by outlining TOP events and then apply rearward logic to describe causes. Event tree analysis and faulty tree analysis are however closely associated. Faulty trees are mostly used to quantify system events that form part of event tree sequences. The logical processes used in the evaluation event tree series and quantify the consequences are similar to those applied in faulty tree analysis. Event tree depicting the “fire breakout” event within Burj Khalifa Event tree analysis Reliability In about fifty years from now, Burj Khalifa could likely be two feet shorter. Although this may look negligible for a building which is 2,717 feet tall, it could wreak havoc on kinds of conduits and lines with the structure like those of water, electricity, and communications, cooling and heating. This is significant since the building has residential apartments, hotel rooms, restaurants, offices and the world’s highest mosque. In the initial planning stages of this enormous structure, a Pratt School of Engineering alum tried to assess the effects of all that concrete on the structural integrity of the structure. Shane McCormick, E’98, was part of the team that assessed the plans for the skyscraper and computed the possible stresses that the 110,000 tones of concrete used for the construction of the structure (Bent & Søren, 2002). As it has been verified, concrete undergoes subtle, almost imperceptible, alterations over time as a consequence of the pressure mounted up on the building. The more the tall a building is, the more the stress on the concrete on the foundations. McCormick, a structural engineer asserted that concrete has distinctive characteristics as a material. With time the concrete tends to shrink and slink. The shrinking is the tendency of the concrete to buckle over time as a consequence of the loads placed over it. The shrinkage takes place as the liquid in the concrete evaporates. Over the course of the 50 years, the concrete may buckle as much as one-eighth of an inch per floor. For most buildings, this is usually not a main problem. But for a building that has 160 floors, this shrinking must be understood and accounted for. McCormick stated that 50 to 100 years, the structure could reduce by two feet (Bent & Søren, 2002). From a structural point of view there is little that can be done about this fact according to McCormick. Most of the services and systems in the structure require special joints and also require bigger openings in the walls to let the mechanical services to accommodate the movement. Proper plans can be implemented as long as the problem is known and identified. During his two-month spell on the Burj Khalifa project, McCormick developed computer models to establish where the most stresses will occur. This assists the engineers and architects in the designing of the structure. The plan of the tower itself is straightforward as established by McCormick. It is essentially three towers, or fundamentals, located around an inner core. The foot print of the structure is that of the letter Y whose cross-section reduces at the tower rises. The distinctive aspect of the structure is that almost each vertical fundamental is linked together to create an integrated system. Though the building is fairly conventional, the challenges arise from handling the sheer size of the project. It is therefore necessary to create modeling techniques to cater for the distinctive aspects of the several vertical elements. Models to design the construction of the building were created using computer programs and techniques. For normal tall structures, creeping and shrinkage is not a huge problem (Bent & Søren, 2002). Business continuity plan Revenues emerging from the sale of units at Burj Khalifa are expected to boost the 2010 revenues of Dubai’s Emaar properties. Emaar, 31.2 percent possessed by the Dubai government is one of the biggest listed developers in the globe. As Emaar realizes revenues and profits on sale of the project, the revenue relating to the units sold will be realized in 2010 up on delivery. This will have a positive impact on the company’s revenue as well as the revenues of the government. This will be a major step towards the maintenance of the project as a viable business plan. The extra revenue will boost the performance of the organization. In essence the unveiling of the building was to lure investors and create a positive image of the country in order to enhance and create business prospects. This will fix the nation’s picture after it was forced to loan $26 billion from Abu Dubai to pay off debts and prevent disaster in the course of financial crisis (Bent & Søren, 2002). The financial crisis also left more than a third of the Dubai’s real estate investment vacant. As a result of the global economic recession, thousands of expats in Dubai which are equivalent to 85% of the nation’s population were let go. This building which is located at the center of Dubai which has the highest Internet speed in the world is a symbol of the Arab world. Burj Dubai is thus a great achievement of a successful project. The investment has been successful due to collaborations which are widespread in the current globalized world. As a result of globalization, the building is set to attract more investors and thus the objective of designing the structure will be realized. Despite a decrease in Dubai’s financial markets, markets analysts are optimistic of positive growth rates in 2010. The general index of the Dubai Financial Market has been declining and the value of shares also declining. This is however expected to change as a result of the business prospects created by the new building (Bent & Søren, 2002). Insurance Burj Khalifa which opened recently as the world’s tallest building is a marvel of engineering and risk management by enormous insurance limits mainly from international reinsurers. The Burj Khalifa, a more than 160-storey tower whose height is 2,717 feet is well insured. The structure which was originally called Burj Dubai was renamed just before it started operating to recognize Abu Dhabi's sheik Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who helped Dubai pay off its debts in the concluded financial year. Residents of more than 1,000 apartments in the multipurpose structure planned by Chicago-based engineers Skidmore, Owings & Merrill L.L.P. are expected to begin operating in February (Bent & Søren, 2002). A construction all-risk insurance program drawn by Oman Insurance Co. P.S.C. for assets developer Emaar Properties P.J.S.C. in Dubai covered the $1.5 billion investment from its commencement and is valid until the coverage ends in July, as established by Abdul Muttalib al-Jaidi, the CEO of the firm which is located in Dubai. Mr. al-Jaidi said Oman Insurance kept15%, or roughly $225 million, of the $1.5 billion exposure and reinsured the rest through the worldwide markets. Munich Reinsurance Co. is the leading reinsurer. Mr. Al-Jaidi asserted that London-based Health Lambert Group Ltd was the head broker on the coverage drawn for Emaar. This program covers construction risks, workers compensation and liability exposures and also extends to the contractors and subcontractors (Bent & Søren, 2002). The coverage also includes professional protection insurance for specialists and engineers who formed the team involved in the planning and building of the tower. Although the building has been opened it is not yet complete. According to Christian Bendel, a Munich-based senior underwriter and civil engineer with Munich Re., it is at a delicate phase where risk management is essential. The exposure to fire is currently high due to presence of combustible construction material which is inside the structure awaiting installation to complete the interior. Most of the apartments need to be completed while the material required is not available. Risk management is thus essential at this point to prevent the ignition of inflammable material. The buildings height brought some of the most difficult risk management and engineering issues. Among the challenges were how to safely take building materials to the top floors of the structure. In order to pump tones of concrete to 800 meters, the constructors devised a system to transport the material. The enormous project was described as a risk management success by Mr. Bendel. As the building nears its completion, responsibility of covering the building will shift to the owners. Insurance cover purchased by Emaar covers the building but responsibility of covering the contents lies with the owners (Bent & Søren, 2002). Cost Benefit Analysis A cost benefit analysis is carried out to determine how well or how poorly an action plan will turn out. Although a cost benefit analysis has multiple applications it is normally done for financial purposes only. Since the cost benefit analysis is based on the inclusion of positive factors and the subtraction of negative ones to calculate a net result, it is also described as running the numbers. A cost benefit finds, quantifies and adds the positive elements which are described as benefits. It then identifies the, quantifies, and subtracts all the negatives which are referred to as costs. The variation between the two indicates whether the planned action is viable or not. The idea behind making a reasonable cost benefit analysis is to ensure that all the benefits and the costs are well quantified and included in the calculations (Ascott, 2006). The Cost Benefit Analysis of a building is aimed at making design decisions that bring the best value to the structure owner and future tenants. Cost benefit analysis naturally clarifies the trade-offs between initial expenses and operating expenses. The factors considered are only those that the owner can assign monetary value to them. Such factors include incremental benefits like improved comfort, productivity, or well-being. The economic consequences are assessed at all stages, beginning with planning and proceeding through occupancy, maintenance and demolition (Bent & Søren, 2002). The major ideas include handling the project as a form of investment, where the best asset situation is most likely not instinctively obvious. There will be complex trade-offs between several elements. The cost benefit analysis is suitable for any valid investment. Cost benefit analysis commonly utilized as a sales function for energy conservation. The owner is encouraged where possible and necessary to asses building costs over time. Energy-efficient structures sometimes have higher first expenses than more traditional designs though typically they have much lower life-cycle expenses. Another idea is to comprehend the owner’s monetary prospect and financial needs for this project. This will design the criteria for how well efficient the energy design strategies required to perform and to what level these strategies may raise the building’s first cost. Amenity and comfort as a value. A value scheme for resident comfort, efficiency, and raised structure amenity should be formed with the aid of the owner due to day lighting and other factors that are difficult to calculate. These are the likely benefits from day lighting which can far surpass outweigh energy savings in financial value. A sensible assumption for these benefits, expressed in a dollars-per-square-foot worth can be directly incorporated in cost/benefit analysis (Bent & Søren, 2002). Data is required for the calculation of energy efficiency cot and benefit analysis. The owner’s investment characterization criteria are based on available funds, discount rate, intended payback period and the duration of ownership. Other factors considered are energy cost and escalation rates, building energy performance and construction expenses. Maintenance and repair expenses and replacement schedule and expenses are also considered. A more complex analysis may comprise more elements like financing expenses, taxes, salvage expenses and many more. The next step involves getting the benefit information. This includes getting the cautious use of the proper window area, glazing type and shading systems in combination with efficient lighting and controls. This will yield minimized window solar heat gains, light energy, lighting heat gains and improved visual and thermal comfort. The third step encompasses the evaluation of the analysis objective. The depth of expense information required is based on the typical objectives of the cost/ benefit analysis. The main objective of the Cost benefit analysis is to evaluate the consequences of a given decision and make a choice between different alternatives (Bent & Søren, 2002). Utility Burj Khalifa which is the tallest structure with about 150 available floors and expected to house up to 35,000 people at any one time presents a certain risk hazard. In regard to emergency evacuation, structure and operations, the highest risk part of the structure is its high speed elevators. To aid in the evacuation of the people inside, designate elevators have lifeboat evacuation modes which allow fire brigade experts or trained staff to take people from upper portions of the building to designated release levels. The elevators encompass total operating capability on both main and emergency power, water resistant apparatus, and modes for visual assessment of the elevator beam and hoisted elevator doorway on every floor entryway to lessen the stream of sprinkler water into the beams. The building is also installed with a 5,500 kilogram capability elevator for firefighters and building service work. All the stairs are made of highly fire resistant concrete walls in case some people choose to use them for evacuation (Rechard, 2000). Refuge areas Since people will not be expected to walk all the 160 floors in case an accident occurs, the building has been installed with pressurized air-conditioned retreat areas. These have been installed at distances of approximately 25 floors where the evacuating people can either wait or ret as they move downwards. The sections of refuge are separated cut off from the rest of the structure by a two-hour fire resistant erection which is pressurized to lessen the amount of smoke entering the partition. While the design of the building is based on a defend-in-place strategy in which the structure aims at separating the problem and safe guarding the occupants of the building, there is likelihood that an escalated event may need a full building evacuation. To ensure safety, the building is installed with a home automation system which comprise of LCD panels that portray well outlined emergency information to specified members of the people occupying the building. These displays are located in strategic positions such as private residential units and places of refuge. Multi-alarm sensors that comprise of smoke, heat and optical sensors are positioned in all rooms throughout the structure (Rechard, 2000). Conclusion Fire safety systems The major fire safety systems installed in the building are the fire alarm and the sprinkler systems and smoke evacuation systems. The length of the structure from the basement to level 160 has well installed sprinkler systems. On the structure management and operations side, crisis response strategies in place in the building have been created using the guidelines stipulated by the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) emergency management and trade continuity programs. This is also in line with the NFPA’s approved practice for pre-incident planning (Rechard, 2000). Built for safety The engineers of the building worked the design of the structure to evade the two major challenges; wind and gravity. The structure of the building has been constructed to withstand wind test since the terraces have been designed in such a way that wind effects are lowered at ground level (Rechard, 2000). Bibliography Ascott, E. 2006. Benefit Cost Analysis of Wonderworld Drive Overpass in San Marcos, Texas. Applied Research Projects, Texas: Texas State University Bianchi, S. & Critchlow, A., 2010, "World's Tallest Skyscraper Opens in Dubai" The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. . Bent F., & Søren L., 2002, "Underestimating Costs in Public Works Projects: Error or Lie?" Journal of the American Planning Association, vol. 68, no. 3, "Burj Dubai Design Based on A Native Flower: Fact or Fiction?.” Landmark Properties. Retrieved on January 28, 2010 from Folland, S. et al., 2007, The Economics of Heath and Health Care. Fifth ed. Pearson Prentice Hall: New Jersey NFPA, Life Safety Code NFPA 101, 2000, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA Rechard, P., 2000, "Historical Relationship between Performance Assessment for Radioactive Waste Disposal and Other Types of Risk Assessment in the United States". Netherlands: Springer "Some interesting facts on the Burj Dubai", 2009, The Tallest Buildings in the World Read More