Essay About the Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest structure, standing at 2722 feet. The building's exterior was finished in 2009, after construction began in 2004. Reinforced concrete was used to build it. The building was opened to the general public in 2010. The country hoped to gain international recognition and diversify its economy with this initiative. The architecture is named after the President of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyun. The total cost of the project was projected to be $1.5 billion. A $800 million fountain, which is also the world's largest fountain, complements the structure. The project's massive construction faced a number of difficulties.

Despite the fact that the structure has received multiple awards and is well-known, the biggest challenges were labor, on-time project execution, architecture, and cost. The construction of buildings that could withstand wind pressure, project funding, and the creation of an effective sewerage system were the key issues with this project. This was a major, iconic project with a lot of obstacles to overcome. As a result, this project was selected as the subject of my case study. The problems will be discussed in this report, as well as how they were overcome. The project's goals and analysis are presented in this report.

Stakeholders Involved

Samsung C and T of South Korea was in charge of the construction of the Burj Khalifa. ‘Stakeholders’ are described as ‘people who have an interest or concern in something, especially in business’. If we try to involve all interested parties, there will, by definition, be more the Burj stakeholders. The following are the most interested parties:

• Dubai Government;
• SOM (Chicago) Architecture Parsty Hyder Consulting Consultant Group.
• Baier and the Middle East Foundation are construction and foundation designers.
• Samsung Engineering, Besix, and Arbatec were the project's main contractors, with a contract value of $876 million.
• Brookfield multiplex was in charge of foundation construction.
• Other companies include Otis, a lift contractor, Al Ghurair Group, a cladding contractor, Dorma, and others.

The Project’s Score, Length and Cost

The project began in 2004 A.D. and was scheduled to end in 2008. The project took an additional nine months to finish, and it was completed in the year 2009 A.D. In the year 2010 A.D., the Burj Khalifa was opened to the general public. Inflation and changes in design drove up the project's cost. The ‘Dubai shock’, which resulted from a massive shift in real estate investments, can be attributed to the time delay. In the year 2008 A.D., the construction of the building was halted for four months.

Benefit Management

The construction of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai changed people's perceptions of the city. It developed Dubai as a tourist destination and recognized Dubai as a place for luxurious living and leisure. Many work prospects were treated, and as a result, Dubai's economy benefited. Several companies, especially real estate firms, advertised annual the Burj Khalifa studious rentals as high as AUD 49000. Many offices in the Burj Khalifa are required to pay a service charge of AUD 21.9975 per square foot (community service fee). Aside from that, tourists pay money for tickets to see the skyscrapers. It is possible to infer that it is a business of attraction, pleasure, and so on. The Burj Khalifa contributes nearly 3% of the country's GDP.

Project Cost and Delivery

The initial arrange value of the project was 879 million bucks. within the finish the ultimate total value of the project was $1.5 billion dollar. the most reasons behind the rise within the value were inflation (downturn of world economy in 2008). The inflation in 2008 causes the rise of iron by seventy fifth. Costs of cements and different commodities were the most issue behind the multiplied value of construction. Another factor that contributed to the cost increase was a shift in design. The project's height was raised to 100m from the initial plan.

Challenges Faced

Construction of such a large structure was not straightforward, and management encountered numerous issues during the project's lifespan. The project was expected to be completed in 2008, but it was almost a year later. Some aspects of the project were exceptional because they were well-managed. Some aspects, on the other hand, were poorly handled. The following are some of the issues that management has to deal with during the project cycle:

Poor Working Condition

The health and safety of the project's staff is always a priority. Approximately 8,000 to 12,000 workers were directly involved in this project, many of whom put their lives in jeopardy. In comparison to the total cost of the project, workers on this project were paid very low salaries. Staff working in the project were abused because there was no legislation specifying a minimum wage for the workers. Some staff were estimated to be earning less than ten dollars a day, according to a study by Human Rights Watch.

Resource Management

The engineers had a tough time laying down concrete on the site because the building is 828 meters tall. Not only that, but the project's development was also hampered by bad weather conditions. During the day, the temperature reached 50 degrees Celsius, so the concreting had to be performed at night. Concrete may be poured at such a height after extensive research. Engineers were able to use a concrete pump with a pressure of 80 MPA, shattering the previous record for concrete placement at such a height.

Protest

This was one of the factors contributing to the project's delay. The project's management failed to deal with the attack. Between 2006 and 2007 A.D., workers staged a strike.

Controlling Risk

The project was well-managed from this standpoint. The structure was designed to withstand wind and gravity loads in a very healthy manner. A number of cameras were mounted to monitor the level of danger and the number of people inside the structure.

How They Were Addressed

One of the Burj Khalifa's first challenges was to create a structure that could withstand extreme heat, with summer temperatures hitting over 50 degrees Celsius. An exterior cladding made of reflective glazing with aluminum and textured stainless-steel panels was created to account for this. Approximately 26,000 glass panels were cut by hand by 300 cladding specialists.

Condensation was a problem due to the hot atmosphere, and the structure emitted approximately 15 million gallons of water. To compensate, a separate piping system was built to transport water to a tank in the basement.

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During building, the Burj Khalifa faced another structural challenge: wind loads. The design team performed over 40 wind tunnel experiments to better understand the wind's behavior and the amount of stress it could impose on the structure. The Burj Khalifa's top structure was designed to mimic the letter 'Y', with each of the three wings buttressing the others through this central structure.

The Burj Khalifa's concrete weighs the same as 100,000 elephants. To avoid the hot atmosphere, the engineers had to blend the concrete with ice and pour it in at night. The mixture was less likely to break because it was colder.

The Burj Khalifa's gross aluminum weight exceeds that of five Airbus A380 planes. Using a set of cranes, these panels were raised and assembled by professionals.

Role of Innovation and Collaboration

When the design, development, and building technologies for the Burj Dubai tower (later renamed the Burj Khalifa) began in 2002, it was clear that many developments would be needed. The original brief called for a 550-meter structure. The need for creativity became even more apparent when the proposed height was raised to 750 meters. And it was even more so when the main contract was awarded in 2004: the goal height had risen again, requiring static recalculations of the foundations, thanks to the visionary Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

This flagship project was distinguished by three major themes: first, a highly experienced international team, which allowed for efficient information transfer, diligent front-loaded preparation, and optimized logistics; second, close and proactive cooperation with creative suppliers; and third, early involvement with government and other major stakeholders. The second theme, close cooperation with creative suppliers, was crucial in putting the numerous state-of-the-art technologies into practice. Early on, construction materials and technology suppliers were invited to share their expertise. Two leading formwork experts ‘Doka and Peri’ were consulted before the main contract was put out to tender, and their input led to improvements in the architectural design as well as the construction process. For example, to expedite the process, the project team chose to use poured concrete for the lift shaft walls. Fortunately, the project team had enough expertise and flexibility to consider feedback from collaborators and to be comfortable with bold new ideas. Without some of the most cutting-edge technology, such a tall structure would have been impossible to build. A good example is the GPS-controlled jump formwork: to maintain verticality as the building grew, traditional optical laser-based methods could no longer be relied on, so a modern military-grade GPS system was used (and has now become standard practice in high rise construction). Favco's diesel-powered self-climbing cranes, which escape the voltage drops that plague regular electric cranes at such heights, and unique concrete pumps, which set new records in concrete pumping, were among the other cutting-edge innovations on display. Indeed, some experts believe that the concrete technology is the project's most groundbreaking aspect. Unimix, a concrete supplier, hired Putzmeister, a German concrete-pumping expert, to design, test, supply, and build high-pressure pumps that could exceed 600 meters in height and withstand 200 bar of pressure. The concrete mix's composition was fine-tuned over a number of tests to ensure fluidity and ultra-high strength, as well as to accommodate various applications in the building's floors and concrete heart. Since construction was often carried out in temperatures above 40°C, the concrete mix was sometimes cooled with ice rather than water, and the condition of each batch of concrete was rigorously monitored.

Innovations Adopted

The Burj Khalifa posed a slew of obstacles for designers and builders to conquer due to its desert location and extreme height. Here are a couple of their suggestions, as well as how they can be implemented in everyday construction.

Design

It took careful preparation and rugged structural elements to keep this behemoth of a structure upright. To establish the strongest base possible, the project began with comprehensive geotechnical and seismic studies. Builders built a 3.7meter thick concrete mat supported by bored reinforced concrete piles, using a high-density, low-permeability concrete. To defend against corrosive chemicals in local groundwater, designers installed a cathodic protection device underneath the concrete mat. The building was built in a spiraling 'Y' shape on top of the massive base to help minimize wind forces, avoid bending, and support itself laterally. This support structure, known as a 'buttressed heart,' consists of three wings that form a 'Y' around a hexagonal center. As the structure grows, the wings are set back to provide steps. The wind encounters a different building form at each stage as a result of these steps and the spiral shape, avoiding wind vortices that could inflict additional stress on the structure. Although most buildings may not face the same challenges as the Burj Khalifa, these design elements can be useful in smaller projects where desert conditions or wind are a concern.

Services and Infrastructure

To support such a large structure while retaining quality, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing facilities had to be meticulously designed. The combination of the cooling system and the water supply was one-way engineers took advantage of the building's architecture. The building necessitates about 10,000 tons of cooling due to Dubai's hot, humid climate, which results in a lot of condensation. This condensation is collected and drained into a holding tank using a special piping device, providing the building with approximately 15 million gallons of supplementary water each year. In a hot, humid environment, a similar device may help minimize water consumption while also helping to offset some of the building's cooling costs.

Safety and Travel

Another aspect of the Burj Khalifa that could be used in commercial construction projects is its fire protection considerations. This is a critical concern for every tall structure, and the designers paid close attention to the issue in this project. Designers included pressurized, air-conditioned refuge areas every 25 floors to help keep residents secure in the event of a fire, removing the impossibility of walking down 160 floors to safety. Furthermore, the fireman's elevator ‘the world's tallest service elevator’ has a size of 5,500 kg and is surrounded by concrete. The Burj Khalifa was also the first mega-high-rise in the world to have elevators programmed for safe evacuation in the event of a fire or a security threat. These elevators, along with the rest of the building's safety features, could become normal in high-rises around the world.

These are only a few of the inventions used in the design of the Burj Khalifa that could be used in commercial buildings all over the world. Construction industry leaders are keeping a close eye on this project as more of the building's features become public awareness, and given the Burj Khalifa's high profile, the final product is likely to have a significant impact on evolving construction practices worldwide.

Final Analysis

The project may be considered a failure if time and expense are used as a criterion for success. The fact that the project's projected cost was higher than the first cost, as well as the lengthened time frame, indicates that the management failed. The project's average height was raised by 100 meters, resulting in a financial loss that was unforeseen. Because of the many changes, the project was over budget. Project management may be said to have failed miserably. However, in order to assess the project, we will use the terms efficiency, resource management, and goal attainment. Similarly, once the project is completed, the benefits realized by the stakeholders can be used as a performance metric to assess the project's progress.

Samsung Engineering, the project's main contractor, used modern technologies based on previous experience with similar projects. The Burj Khalifa was designed to withstand extremely high winds. To withstand such impact, a reinforced concrete frame was used. Before building, the company conducted a series of tests to determine the strength of concrete. The building was able to withstand such pressure because of the preparation and tests. The business made good use of its assets. The tower was able to fulfil the service criteria as well as stakeholders' expectations. Because of the economic downturn in 2008, the project's quality requirements were postponed, and the cost was increased due to material cost increases. Thus, the project can be considered a success in terms of efficiency. The service point of view project was a success because it met the needs of stakeholders and other interested parties. This structure raises 3% of Dubai's GDP all by itself.

Conclusion

The Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest man-made building. This project can be considered a success because it met the needs of stakeholders such as businesspeople and other interested parties. The Burj Khalifa has become a significant symbol of Dubai's status as a global tourist destination. The project management of the Burj Khalifa can also be considered a positive. Because of the economic downturn in Dubai, the project was put on hold for a year. Despite the economic downturn and a sharp increase in commodity costs, the management was able to cope and complete the project in a year. Due to the rapid shift in the economy, several building projects in Dubai had to be halted. This structure represents teamwork and demonstrates that people can accomplish something if they work hard enough. This structure serves as a model for other structures to follow in order to withstand the test.