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Role of Conceptual Design in High Rise Buildings

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 Vinay Chandwani, Dr. Vinay Agrawal, Naveen Kumar Gupta / International Journal of Engineering
Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 4, July-August 2012, pp.556-560

Role of Conceptual Design in High Rise Buildings

Vinay Chandwani*, Dr. Vinay Agrawal**, Naveen Kumar Gupta ***
*(Assistant Engineer, Investigation Design & Research Wing, WRD, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India)
** (Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, India)
*** (Assistant Engineer, Investigation Design & Research Wing, WRD, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India)

ABSTRACT
With the advent of recent construction all feasible alternatives before decisions have to be made
technologies, human civilization is striving for cost and resources committed [2]. Although, an ideal design is
effective and time saving design solutions. Conceptual not always achieved using the conceptual design
design is the first stepping stone and is arguably the methodology, but it gives an idea to the structural designer
most difficult wherein a tentative shape to the final to make sensible decisions. The decisions taken at the
design is given. High-rise buildings being an important conceptual stage of design have a long term influence on
financial enterprise as it involves enormous private and the performance and economics of the entire project. At
public investment and, most importantly, is a large conceptual design stage there is a continuous change in the
consumer of resources in the form of labor and design requirements brought about by the needs and
construction material. In order to maximize the constraints imposed.
developer’s return within the given constraints, the Thus conceptual design is the first stage in the structural
conceptual design and the detailed designs should be design, wherein all the relevant data are collected and
done judiciously. Usually a smaller part of the design assessed. Thereafter the objective of the project is decided
effort is dedicated to the first phase. However the and finally an initial configuration for major building
success of the final design depends predominantly on system is determined. Conceptual design can grasp the
the conceptual design of the structure based on the overall program of the structure in preliminary design
opinions, judgments and experience of the designers. stage, and late-stage can be designed to avoid some
The paper focuses on the role of conceptual design in unnecessary red-tape operations, but also judge the
the success of a High Rise building project. important basis of computer output reliable or not [3].
Many considerations to geometry, orientation and
Keywords - Aspect Ratio, Conceptual Design, Exterior structural system can be given early in the design process.
Structures, High Rise Building, Interior Structures, Lease Tall building design must exploit all of these factors to the
Span, Structural System. fullest extent possible in minimizing the wind loads or
alternatively optimizing the design [4].
1. INTRODUCTION
Tall buildings throughout the world are becoming 2. CONCEPTUAL DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES
popular day by day. With the advent of modern day At conceptual stage, neither there is complete and
construction technology and computers, the basic aim has accurate data nor enough time to design the component
been to construct safer buildings keeping in view the again and again with different changing parameters (being
overall economics of the project. Earlier the functional use at conceptual stage). Improving the quality of conceptual
of the tall buildings was limited to commercial office structural design is crucial to the whole design process. At
buildings. But nowadays, other uses such as, residential, conceptual design stage, human intelligence and past
mixed use and hotel tower developments are rapidly experience coupled with the computation power in the
developing. The buildings completed in 2011 have effected form of decision support system plays an effective and
significant change in the world’s tallest 100 buildings with important role. There are many tools available that can be
17 new buildings added to the list. Perhaps most used for conceptual stage designing of high rise building
significantly, for the first time in history, the number of e.g. Soft Computing, Artificial Neural Networks, Decision
office buildings in the tallest 100 has diminished to 50% Support Systems, etc. Expert system technology can assist
mark, as mixed-use buildings continue to increase, engineers make the best use of the knowledge available
jumping from 23 to 31. As recently as the year 2000, 85% from many sources in the domain to produce appropriate,
of the world’s tallest were office buildings, meaning that a consistent, safe, and reliable designs [5].
35% change has occurred in over a decade [1].
There has been a regular and significant change in the 3. HIGH RISE BUILDING
approach to the design of structures. The most radical The International Building Code (IBC 2000) and
change being the conceptual design. This stage of design is the Building Construction and Safety Code, NFPA
quite difficult since it involves various complex factors 5000TM-2002, define high-rise buildings as buildings 75
which are not explicitly defined. At conceptual stage of feet or greater in height measured from the lowest level of
design process, there is usually very little time to consider fire department vehicle access to the floor of the highest

556 | P a g e
 Vinay Chandwani, Dr. Vinay Agrawal, Naveen Kumar Gupta / International Journal of Engineering
Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 4, July-August 2012, pp.556-560
occupiable story [6]. The overall building cost and the transferred to the outer columns through outrigger
architecture of a High Rise Building depends connections.
predominantly on its structural system. Therefore the
4.2 Exterior Structures
design concepts for High Rise buildings are entirely
The exterior of the building is vulnerable to
different for a low-rise building. The High Rise buildings
lateral forces especially wind loads. Hence it is essential
are dynamically sensitive to lateral loads and hence the
that most of the lateral load resisting system is
structural systems of such buildings are designed to resist
concentrated along the perimeter of High Rise buildings.
the lateral loads, especially wind loads.
One of the most typical exterior structures is the tube,
High Rise building is conceived as a vertical cantilever,
which consists of a great number of rigid joints, acting
fixed in ground. The structure is required to carry vertical
along the periphery, creating a large tube. In framed tube
gravity loads, lateral wind and earthquake loads. To
system, exterior tube carries all the lateral loading and
counteract these loads the building should have adequate
gravity loading is shared between the tube and the interior
shear and bending resistance along with its vertical load
columns or walls. The columns are closely packed on the
carrying capacity.
exterior connected by a deep spandrel. In braced tube
All High Rise buildings are considered as composite
system instead of using closely spaced perimeter columns,
structures. This is because, steel systems offer speed in
widely spaced columns stiffened by diagonal braces are
construction and less self-weight whereas reinforced
used. Another structural system can be created by
concrete systems offer resistance to fire and offer more
clustering the individual tubes. In Bundled tube systems
damping and mass, which in a way is advantageous in
the tubes are connected together with common interior
combating motion perception by the occupants.
panels to generate a perforated multicell tube.
The diagrid structural system has been widely used for
4. HIGH RISE BUILDING STRUCTURAL recent tall buildings due to the structural efficiency and
SYSTEM aesthetic potential provided by the unique geometric
Based on the distribution of the components of configuration of the system. Compared with conventional
the primary lateral load-resisting system over the building, framed tubular structures without diagonals, diagrid
the structural system of High Rise buildings can be broadly structures are more effective in minimizing shear
classified as: deformation because they carry shear by axial action of the
a) Interior Structures diagonal members, while conventional framed tubular
b) Exterior Structures structures carry shear by the bending of the vertical
In Interior structural system, the major part of the lateral columns [7]. Lateral loads are introduced directly into a
load-resisting system is located within the interior of the diagrid structure and immediately transferred into the
building. Whereas in Exterior Structural system, the lateral system of triangulated elements. This means that a diagrid
loads resisting system, is located along the building does not rely on the floor system to transfer any of the
perimeter. lateral forces to the other parts of the structure. Hence,
4.1 Interior Structures diagrid structures generally do not need high shear rigidity
The interior structures comprise of moment- cores because shear can be carried by the diagrids located
resisting frames, shear trusses/shear walls and core- on the perimeter. The horizontal rings of a diagrid provide
supported outrigger structure. Moment resisting frames much needed buckling bracing to the diagonal members.
consist of horizontal girders and vertical columns rigidly The rings tie all of the pieces together and create one solid
connected in a planar grid form. Such frames resist load tube. A network of interconnected nodes is formed which
primarily through the flexural stiffness of the member. gives the triangulated elements another degree of stiffness.
Braced frames use vertical steel trusses to resist the lateral Thus diagrid structures provide both bending and shear
loads primarily through axial stiffness of the members. rigidity. Other types of lateral load resisting exterior
Shear walls, which are plane elements, generally start at structures include space trusses, super frames and
foundation level and are continuous throughout the exoskeleton. These have been occasionally used for High
building height. They can be considered as vertical Rise Buildings.
cantilevers fixed at the base. Their thickness can be as low
as 150 mm, or as high as 400 mm in High Rise buildings. 5. DESIRED STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
Shear walls are usually provided along both length and The design of tall and slender structures is
width of buildings. Shear walls provide large strength and governed by three factors viz., strength (material capacity),
stiffness to buildings in the direction of their orientation, stiffness (drift) and serviceability (motion perception and
which significantly reduces lateral sway of the building accelerations), produced by the action of lateral loading,
and thereby reduces damage to structure and its contents. such as wind and earthquake. The overall geometry of a
The Outrigger systems are modified form of braced frame building is of importance as it often dictates which factor
and shear-walled frame systems. It comprises of a central governs the overall design. As a building becomes taller
core of either braced frames or shear walls. The core is and more slender, drift considerations become more and
connected to the external columns through horizontal more significant.
“outrigger” trusses or girders. Through this arrangement, The High Rise building is designed predominantly to resist
the overturning moments in the core are reduced and the lateral loads induced by wind and earthquake. As the
building height increases the lateral loads induced by wind
557 | P a g e
 Vinay Chandwani, Dr. Vinay Agrawal, Naveen Kumar Gupta / International Journal of Engineering
Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 4, July-August 2012, pp.556-560
become predominant. However it should be equally d) Shear walls can be combined with Moment Resisting
efficient in carrying the vertical loads. High Rise building Frames, to offer greater restrain to lateral loads by
involves heavy expenditure on material and resources. producing shear wall frame interacting system.
Hence it would be pertinent to select a structural system at Buildings up to 70 stories height can be constructed
the conceptual stage of design, having strength and using this type of structural system. But flexible
stiffness fulfilling the desired purpose. The structural interior plan layout is restricted due to presence of
system not only gives aesthetic appeal to the building but shear walls.
also optimizes the interior space planning. The structural e) Outriggers play the most significant role in the design
system therefore holds the key for optimal design of High of these kinds of structures, since they are the
Rise buildings for which the following points are to be elements that control the drift of the building. The
kept in mind at the conceptual stage of design which have outrigger concept is in wide spread use today in the
been incorporated in the following sub sections. design of tall buildings. Outrigger systems can lead to
very efficient use of structural materials by mobilizing
5.1 Interior Structures
the axial strength and stiffness of exterior columns to
a) Moment-Resisting Frames perhaps are the most
resist part of the overturning moment produced by
commonly used system in low-to medium-rise
lateral loading. When compared to single-storey
buildings. The moment-resisting frame is
outrigger structures, multi-storey outriggers have
characterized by linear horizontal and vertical
better lateral resistance and efficiency in the structural
members connected essentially rigidly at their joints.
behavior [8]. There are, however, some important
The frame itself has to resist all the actions, vertical as
space planning limitations and certain structural
well as horizontal. At the same time, it has to provide
complications associated with the use of outriggers in
the required stiffness to the structure in order to limit
tall buildings. This system can be used for buildings
deformations within the allowable values. But as the
over 100 stories high.
height of the building increases, this structural system
cannot mobilize sufficient stiffness under lateral forces 5.2 Exterior Structures
and shows shear deformation. Hence this type of a) In tubular structural system the entire perimeter of the
structural system remains efficient for 20 to 30 stories. building is utilized to resist the lateral loads. Hence the
But it is worth noting that this system provides interior floor slab is kept relatively free from core
flexible floor planning and faster construction. bracing and large columns, thus increasing net
b) The Braced Frame offers greater stiffness in leasable area of the building. This system can be used
comparison to moment-resisting frames. Additional for buildings up to 100 stories high.
bracing almost eliminates the bending of columns and b) Diagrids are designed in configurations which use
girders. These systems efficiently resist lateral loads every member’s full ability to resist compression and
by axial forces in shear truss members. By using this tension. Due to this reason, most diagrids have been
type of system, shallower beams can be used in rigid constructed out of steel but other materials can be
frames. The system is characterized by linear used. Buildings which have used steel diagrids have
horizontal, vertical, and diagonal members, connected saved an average of 20% in materials when compared
simply or rigidly at their joints. It is used commonly in to a typical moment frame design. These structural
conjunction with other systems for taller buildings and systems are also effective in providing an aesthetic
as a stand-alone system in low-to medium-rise character to the building. This system can be used for
buildings. It is most applicable for buildings about 50 buildings up to 100 stories high.
stories in height.
c) The Shear Wall system offers greater stiffness against 6. ACHIEVING SPACE EFFICIENCY
lateral loads and can therefore be regarded as a step High-rise buildings are expensive to construct and
forward in constructing a stiffer building. The system operate but sometimes produce less usable space.
is characterized by relatively thin, generally (but not Therefore to optimize the returns from a High Rise
always) concrete elements that provide both structural building project, space efficiency is required to be thought
strength and separation between building functions. In at the conceptual stage of design. Following points should
high-rise buildings, shear wall systems tend to have a be kept in view to achieve Space Efficiency:
relatively high aspect ratio, that is, their height tends a) Efficiency of net to gross floor area is the key to
to be large compared to their width. The system, balance construction costs and total rental values. This
intrinsically more economical than steel bracing, is ratio designates space efficiency of floors and higher
particularly effective in carrying shear loads down the ratio, the higher will be the income derived from
through the taller floors in the areas immediately the building. Generally the floor slab shape is kept
above grade. The system has the further advantage of simple and regular as it responds well to user
having high ductility, a feature of particular requirements in terms of space planning and
importance in areas of high seismicity. But this system furnishing. Mostly square and rectangular floor plans
offers less flexible interior plan layout due to are preferable as these work more efficiently.
integration of shear walls. The shear strength of the b) As the height of building increases, core and structural
wall is weaker than its bending strength and therefore elements tend to expand, to satisfy the requirements of
prone to brittle shear failure. vertical circulation and resistance to lateral loads.
558 | P a g e
 Vinay Chandwani, Dr. Vinay Agrawal, Naveen Kumar Gupta / International Journal of Engineering
Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 4, July-August 2012, pp.556-560
Lease span or the distance between core and exterior down to the foundation level through a direct load
wall, increases the space efficiency. The structural path.
system should provide column free spaces, thus
7.2 Wind Loading
maximizing the lease span. Interior structures
a) The wind loads prove to be the governing factors in
concentrated at core like moment resisting frames and
the design of High Rise buildings. Drift due to wind
shear walls, lack maximum space efficiency. Tubular
loads can produce second-order effects i.e. P-∆ effects
structures enhance the leasable area of the building, by
and can thus increase the overturning moments. The
eliminating large columns and core bracings.
maximum wind drift criteria of H/500 should be used
c) The service core of the High Rise building comprises
[10].
all of the vertical circulation elements such as
b) The effects of the winds can be reduced by
elevators, fire stairs, mechanical shafts, toilets and
aerodynamic shaping of the building as blunt
elevator lobbies. Shear walls that provide lateral
buildings typically invite higher loads and motion. It is
stability are also integrated in the core. Layout of the
also beneficial to orient the weak axis of building
core is critical to the development efficiency and
away from the dominant wind directions. For this
operational effectiveness of a High Rise building,
wind-tunnel testing should be done on High Rise
while also playing a significant role in the way the
building models
structure copes with lateral loads [9]. In order to
achieve maximum space efficiency, the core must be
reduced to an acceptable ratio of the gross floor area, 8. CONCLUSION
keeping in view the fire regulations and effective Nowadays High Rise buildings are built in
vertical transportation. Nowadays with changing abundance to maximize the land use and investment return.
technology in concrete construction, high strength Success of these high investment projects are centered
concrete having compressive strength in excess of 100 around choosing the appropriate structural system,
MPa can be used to reduce the thickness of service optimizing the space requirement, earthquake resistant
core walls, thus maximizing the useable floor area. design and design for wind loads. Moreover the
complexity of modern high rise buildings has meant that
the successful completion of initial design has become
7. OTHER GOVERNING STRUCTURAL
more important and therefore choosing the most economic
FEATURES frame has become more difficult. Extremely efficient
7.1 Earthquake Resistant Design designs are desirable for economic feasibility therefore
a) Damping in High Rise buildings varies depending on highest performing high rise building structural systems
the selection of materials for structural system. Steel are needed by performing optimization of structural
systems offer speed in construction and less weight. parameters in an efficient and structurally rigorous manner.
But its counterpart, reinforced concrete systems offer Structural optimization method explores a diverse range of
more damping and mass, which is advantageous in structural topologies and geometries [11]. Such an
combating motion perception by the occupants. Hence optimization method at initial stage of design would not
composite structures are being used today, to harness only ensure financially beneficial designs but would also
the advantages of both steel and concrete. reduce the engineer's design burden.
b) For High Rise buildings slenderness of the structural There is often little time for designer to perform the design
system, measured in terms of the aspect ratio is also to process, therefore a designer often choose the most
be considered at the conceptual stage. The typical obvious structural frame for a building, because to
value of the aspect ratio for core wall lateral system thoroughly investigate all possible schemes there isn’t
ranges from 10:1 to 13:1. For lateral systems that ample time or the resources. Conceptual design stage being
engage exterior elements an aspect ratio up to 8:1 is iterative can be exploited to the fullest in maximizing the
adoptable. However if higher aspect ratios are used, returns from such large investment projects. It gives a
then there is a need for special damping devices to structural designer the freedom to choose the best
mitigate excessive motion perception. structural system suited to the building and site
c) The height of a building in an earthquake is analogous requirements.
to the length of a cantilever. It is self evident that as Conceptual stage designing requires sound knowledge,
the height of the building increases, the earthquake- past experience, imaginative power and creativity skill.
resisting problem increases exponentially. Height Thus Architects can give shape to the building to enhance
affects the natural vibrating period of the building. its aesthetic appeal. Different geometry of floor plan can
The higher the building the longer its period. Hence be used and experimented with, to achieve the desired
response spectrum analysis should be performed space efficiency. Wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic
regardless of the site seismic zone. shape to the building can be given at conceptual stage of
d) Earthquake forces are dependent on the distribution of design. This in a way optimizes the lateral load resisting
mass and stiffness along the height of the building. structural system. Thus conceptual design presents a
Hence it should be ensured while framing the layout number of feasible options to the designer, which
of building, that the structural material is distributed incorporates both aspects i.e. limitations and advantages,
efficiently to the lateral system components. Moreover thereby making it easy for the designer to take sensible
it should be ensured that earthquake forces are brought decisions at the final stage of design.
559 | P a g e
 Vinay Chandwani, Dr. Vinay Agrawal, Naveen Kumar Gupta / International Journal of Engineering
Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 4, July-August 2012, pp.556-560

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