The basic structural elements can be reduced to those which are:
- Linear
Columns
Beams- Surface
Walls
Slabs- Spatial
Facade Envelope
Core
Building as System
Classification of High-Rise Structural Systems
The essence of the change the development of the structural system of the high-rise is the development from the building as a rigid frame to the building as a long cantilever. Moment resistant frames can be effective options up to about 20 or 30 stories; tubular frams and trusses have yet to reach their limit. With tese two types of systems taken as the extremes, the other systems can be considered as systems which have characteristics which are taken from both. In 1984 the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat attempted to develop a rigorous methodology for cataloging the structural systems of tall buildings (Flaconer and Beedle, 1984). They determined four types:
The following are the Common Structural types as Schueller (High-Rise Building Structures, 2nd Edition. 1986) describes them :
- Shear Frames
Semi-Rigid Frmaes
Rigid Frames- Interacting Systems
Frames with Shear Cores
Frames with Shear, Band and Outrigger Trusses- Partial Tubular Systems
End Channel Framed Tube with Interior Shear Trusses
End Channel and Middle I Framed Tubes
- Tubular Systems
Exterior Framed Tube
Tube-in-Tube
Bundled Framed Tube
Exterior Diagonalized Tube
Influencing Factors on Structural Type:
- General Economic Considerations
- Soil Conditions
- Height-to-Width Ration of the Buidling - stiffness
- Fabrication and Erection Considerations
- Mechanical Systems Considerations
- Fire Rating Considerations - life safety
- Community Factors - users and neighborhoods
- Legal Factors - zoning and codes
- Availability and cost of Main Structural Materials
