Validating the Structural Behavior and Response of Burj Khalifa:

Synopsis of the Full Scale Structural Health Monitoring Programs

1
Ahmad Abdelrazaq
1
Executive Vice President, Highrise & Complex Building, Samsung C & T, Seoul, Korea

ABSTRACT: New generation of tall and complex buildings system are now introduced that are
reflective of the latest development in of materials, design, sustainability, construction, and IT
technologies. While the complexity in design is being overcome by the availability and
advances in structural analysis, the design of these building is still reliant on minimum code
requirements and yet to be validated in full scale. The involvement of the author in the design
and construction planning of Burj Khalifa since its inception until its completion prompted the
author to conceptually develop an extensive survey and real-time structural health monitoring
program at the world tallest manmade structure to validate all the fundamental assumptions in
the design and construction planning of the tower.
The Burj Dubai Project is the tallest structure ever built by man; the tower is 828 meters tall and
compromise of 162 floors above grade and 3 basement levels. Early integration of aerodynamic
shaping and wind engineering played a major role in the architectural massing and design of this
multi-use tower, where mitigating and taming the dynamic wind effects was one of the most
important design criteria established at the onset of the project design. This paper provides a
brief description of the tower structural systems and behavior and the key issues considered in
integrating structural design concepts that are considered paramount to the development and
execution of a state-of-the-art survey and structural health monitoring (SHM) programs. The
focus of this paper is to discuss the implementation of the survey and structural health real time
monitoring programs to confirm the structural behavioral response of the tower during
construction stage and during its service life; the monitoring programs included 1) monitoring
the tower’s foundation system, 2) foundation settlement, 3) Strain Measurements of the tower
vertical elements, 4) wall and column vertical shortening due to elastic, shrinkage and creep
effects, 5) lateral displacement of the tower under eccentric gravity load distribution resulting
from elastic and creep effects, 6) temporary Real Time Monitoring Program to monitor the
building displacement and dynamic response under lateral loads during construction, 7)
permanent Real Time Monitoring Program to monitor the building displacement and dynamic
behavior and response under lateral forces, and 8) monitoring the Pinnacle dynamic behavior
and fatigue characteristics. This extensive monitoring program has resulted in extensive insight
into the structural response of the tower, allowed control the construction process, allowed for
the evaluation of the structural response in effective and immediate manner and it allowed for
immediate correlation between the measured and the predicted behavior.
The survey and structural health monitoring programs developed for the Burj Khalifa will no
doubt will pioneer the use of survey and SHM program concepts as part of the fundamental
design concept of building structures and will be benchmarked as a model for future structural
health monitoring programs for all critical and essential facilities, but with much improved
devices and technologies, which is now being considered by the author for a tall and complex
building development that is presently under construction.
1 INTRODUCTION
The Burj Dubai Project is the tallest structure ever built by man; the tower is 828 meters tall
and compromise of 162 floors above grade and 3 basement levels. While integrating wind
engineering principles and aerodynamic shaping into the architectural design concept was an
important consideration in mitigating and taming the dynamic wind effects, managing the
gravity load flow to the building extremities was equally significant in overcoming the
overturning moment due to extreme lateral loads. Most of the tower overturning resistance is
managed mostly by the tower’s own gravity loads. In addition, all the vertical members are
proportioned to resist gravity loads on equal stress basis to overcome the differential column
shortening issues that is generally difficult to manage in supertall buildings.

Figure 1. Photo of the Completed Burj Khalifa

The structure of Burj Khalifa was designed to behave like a giant column with cross sectional
shape that is a reflection of the building massing and profile. The story of structural system
selection and the structural system optimization is a novel one and cannot be covered here in
details, however, this paper will provide 1) a brief on the key issues that led to the structural
systems and the key issues considered in integrating structural design concepts and
construction planning into the architectural design concept; 2) a detailed understanding the
overall structural behavior of the tower, which is paramount to the development of the
structural health monitoring (SHM) and survey programs for the tower; 3) and a detailed
description of the comprehensive SHM and survey programs developed for the Burj Khalifa.
The development of the SHM program for Burj Khalifa, at the time of the system installation,
is probably one of the most comprehensive survey and real time structural health monitoring
programs in the history of supertall buildings that will track the structural behavior and
response of the tower during construction and during its lifetime and it included:
¾ Monitoring the reinforced concrete bored piles and their load dissipation into the soil.
¾ Continuous survey and monitoring of the tower foundation settlement, corewalls and
column vertical shortening, and the lateral displacements of the tower resulting from its
asymmetrical geometric shape and structural system asymmetry.
¾ Continuous Monitoring the tower vertical element strains and stresses due to gravity
load effects.
¾ Installation of a Temporary Real Time Monitoring Program to monitor the building
displacement and dynamic response under lateral loads (wind and seismic) during
construction.
 ¾ Installation of Permanent Real Time Monitoring Program to monitor the building
displacement and dynamic response under lateral loads (wind and seismic in particular).
The intent of this monitoring program is to confirm the actual dynamic characteristics
of the building, including its natural mode of vibration, estimate of damping,
measuring the building displacement and acceleration, immediate diagnose on the
change on the building structural behavior, predicting behavior fatigue of critical
elements that are susceptible severe and sustained wind induced vibration at different
wind speed and profiles, and most importantly in providing ongoing feedback on the
performance of the building structure and immediate assistance in their day-to-day
operations, etc.
¾ Continuous monitoring and predicting the fatigue of the pinnacle under
low/moderate/severe wind and seismic excitations.
¾ Tracking the wind speed profile along the building height in an urban, but semi open
field setting considering the scale of the project relative to its surroundings.
¾ Correlating the building measured responses and the predicted behavior of the tower.
This extensive SHM and survey monitoring program has, since its inception, resulted already
in an extensive feedback and insight into the actual is-situ material properties, the tower’s
structural behavior and response under wind and seismic excitations, and continuous change
in the building characteristics during construction. In addition and most importantly, the
SHM program will provide the building owner ongoing and continuous feedback on the
performance of the structure and other buildings systems with real time data to better assist
them in their day-to-day operations and facility management. Comparison between the
measured responses and the predicted behavior of the tower will also be discussed.

2 STRUCTURAL SYSTEM BRIEF DESCRIPTION

2.1 General
The Burj Khalifa project is a multi-use development tower with a total floor area of 460,000
square meters that includes residential, hotel, commercial, office, entertainment, shopping,
leisure, and parking facilities. The Burj Khalifa is designed to be the centerpiece of the large
scale Burj Khalifa Development that rises 828 meters and consists of more than 160 floors.

The design of Burj Khalifa is derived from geometries of the desert flower, which is
indigenous to the region, and the patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture. The
tower massing is organized around a central core with three wings. Each wing consists of four
bays. At every seventh floor, one outer bay peels away as the structure spirals into the sky.
Unlike many super-highrise buildings with deep floor plates, the Y-shape floor plans of Burj
Khalifa maximize views and provide tenants with plenty of natural light. The modular Y-
shaped building, with a setback at every seventh floor, was part of the original design concept
that allowed Skidmore Owings and Merrill to win the invited design competition
The tower superstructure of Burj Khalifa is designed as an all reinforced concrete building
with high performance concrete from the foundation level to level 156, and is topped with a
structural steel braced frame from level 156 to the highest point of the tower.

The tower massing is also driven by wind engineering requirements to reduce the dynamic wind
excitation. As the tower spirals into the sky, the building’s width and shape diminish, thus
reducing wind dynamic effects, movement, and acceleration. Integrating wind engineering
principals and requirements into the architectural design of the tower resulted in a stable
dynamic response, and taming the powerful wind forces.
2.2 Strategy for Structural System Selection
From onset of the design process, the structural design of the tower was formulated based on the
objectives of integrating the structural and architectural design concept and included the
following structural strategy:
¾ Select and optimize the tower structural system for strength, stiffness, cost effectiveness,
redundancy, and speed of construction.
¾ Utilize the latest technological advances in structural materials that is available in the local
market, and with due consideration to the availability of local skilled labor and construction
method.
¾ Manage and locate the gravity load resisting system so as to maximize its use in resisting
the lateral loads while harmonizing with the architectural planning of an luxury residential
and hotel tower (original concept of the tower was mostly for residential use)
¾ Incorporate the latest innovations in analysis, design, materials, and construction methods.
¾ Limit the building Movement (drift, acceleration, torsional velocity, etc.) to within the
international accepted design criteria and standards.
¾ Control the relative displacement between the vertical members
¾ Control the dynamic response of the tower under wind loading by tuning the structural
characteristics of the building to improve its dynamic behavior and to prevent lock-in
vibration due to the vortex shedding. Favorable dynamic behavior of the tower was
achieved by:

• Varying the building shape along the height while continuing, without interruption, the
building gravity and lateral load resisting system;
• reducing the floor plan along the height, thus effectively tapering the building profile;
• Using the building shapes to introduce spoiler type of effects along the entire height of
the tower, including the pinnacle, to reduce the dynamic wind excitations.
While several structural options were considered (including composite system), high
performance concrete of its mass, stiffness, high strength, moldability, continuity, pumping
ability, and speed of construction, local availability of high performance concrete and
advanced formwork systems, and most importantly the residential use of the building, was
selected as the primary structural material for the tower.
Braced Frame System
Structural Steel

Tier 9
Reinforced Concrete Corewall/Frame System

Tier 6

Tier 3

Tier 1

Figure 2. Lateral Load Resisting System and photo of the completed tower
2.2.1 Lateral load Resisting System
The tower’s lateral load resisting system consists of high performance, reinforced concrete
ductile core walls linked to the exterior reinforced concrete columns through a series of
reinforced concrete shear wall panels at the mechanical levels.
The core walls vary in thickness from 1300mm to 500mm. The core walls are typically
linked through a series of 800mm to 1100mm deep reinforced concrete or composite link
beams at every level. Due to the limitation on the link beam depth, ductile composite link
beams are provided in certain areas of the core wall system. These composite ductile link
beams typically consist of steel shear plates, or structural steel built-up I-shaped beams, with
shear studs embedded in the concrete section. The link beam width typically matches the
adjacent core wall thickness.
At the top of the center reinforced concrete core wall, a very tall spire tops the building,
making it the tallest tower in the world in all categories. The lateral load resisting system of
the spire consists of a diagonal structural steel bracing system from level 156 to the top of the
spire at approximately 750 meter above the ground. The pinnacle consists of structural steel
pipe section varying from 2100mm diameter x 60mm thick at the base to 1200mm diameter x
30mm thick at the top (828m).

2.2.2 Gravity Load Management & Structural System Optimization

While the wind behavior of supertall buildings is one on the most important design criteria to be
considered, gravity load management is also as critical as it has direct impact impact on the
overall efficiency and performance of the tower and it should be addressed at the early design
stage during the development and integration of the architectural and structural design concept.
The means and methods of mobilizing and redistributing gravity load could have its own
inefficiencies and demands; if it is not managed properly it could result in its own complexities
and construction complexities. The balance between the gravity load management and the
gravity load smooth flow redistribution in concrete structure is a structural engineering art that
requires in depth understanding of materials and the structural system behavior from the early
design concept. Figure 3 provides the gravity load analysis, performed by the author while at
SOM, that compares the concrete area required to support the tower gravity loads, without
considerations to minim member sizes, to the actual concrete are provided for the tower final
design.

Figure 3. Lateral Load Resisting System and photo of the completed tower
Figures 3 shows that the selected structural system is efficient, and the only additional material
needed is due to the required minimum members sizes and the additional materials (through
link beams) needed to re-distribute the loads to the oversized members at the hammer heads
walls (no penalty) and the nose columns (major penalty) though outrigger trusses. The hammer
walls and the nose columns, located at the extremities of the buildings, resulted in significant
contribution to the moment of inertia of the tower and its resistance to the overturning moment
of the tower due to lateral loads. Figures 3 and 5 also depict the gravity load flow management
along the height of the buildings. The limitations on the wall thicknesses (500-600mm) of the
center core and the wing walls thickness (600mm) allowed, art of working with concrete, the
gravity load to flow freely into the center corridor Spine web walls (650mm) to the hammer
head walls and nose columns for maximum resistance to lateral loads. Along these load flow
lines the strain gages are installed to track the gravity load flow. As discussed previously, the
load flow to the hammer head wall resulted in very little penalty as it occurs naturally in
concrete structure, however, forcing the load into the nose columns results in structural system
design complexities that I believe could be avoided all together in future system development.
Special analysis, wind tunnel testing, design, and detailing were also considered for the
structural design concept of the spire/pinnacle steel structure.

2.2.3 Wind Engineering Management

Wind engineering is one of the primary concerns in the design of tall building design
and planning. The shape of the Burj Khalifa project is the result of direct strong and
successful collaboration between SOM’s architects and engineers to vary the shape of
the building along its height from the early development of the design concept
(competition stage), thereby minimizing the wind forces on the tower. The variation of
the tower shape, and width, resulted in wind vortices around the perimeter of the tower
that behaved differently for different shapes at different frequencies, thus disorganizing
the interaction of the tower structure with the wind as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Vortex shedding formation, with different resonance frequencies, along the building height;
(scanned copies of original sketches/concepts developed by the author while working at SOM)
From the beginning of the project, an extensive wind tunnel studies and testing regimes
were established to develop a full understanding of the building wind behavior and
response. Based on these extensive studies, target building periods and mode shapes
were established to optimize the building dynamic response to the dynamic wind action.
2.2.4 Floor Framing System
The residential and hotel floor framing system of the Tower consists of 200mm to 300mm
two-way reinforced concrete flat plate slabs spanning approximately 9 meters between the
exterior columns and the interior core wall. The floor framing system at the tips of the tower
floor consists of a 225mm to 250mm two-way reinforced concrete flat plate system. The
floor framing system within the interior core consists of a two way reinforced concrete flat
plate system with beams. See Figure 5 for typical floor framing system at typical residential
and mechanical levels.

Figure 5. Typical Floor Framing Plans at a) typical hotel level and at b) Typical Mechanical Level

2.2.5 Foundation System

The Tower is founded on a 3700mm thick high performance reinforced concrete pile
supported raft foundation at -7.55 DMD. The reinforced concrete raft foundation utilizes
high performance Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) and is placed over a minimum 100mm
blinding slab over waterproofing membrane, over at least 50mm blinding slab. The raft
foundation bottom and all sides are protected with waterproofing membrane. See Figure 6
for the Raft Foundation System.

Figure 6. Tower raft foundation plan and photo of raft construction

The piles are 1500mm diameter, high performance reinforced concrete bored piles, extending
approximately 45 meters below the base of the raft. All piles utilize self compacting concrete
(SCC) with w/c ratio not exceeding 0.30, placed in one continuous concrete pour using the
tremie method. The final pile elevations are founded at -55 DMD to achieve the assumed pile
capacities of 3000Tonnes.

3 STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

The Burj Khalifa Project is now the tallest building in the world and the tallest manmade
structure. While developing the structural system requirements and integrating them into the
architectural design concept was a novel one, the construction of the tower in itself was very
challenging in every aspect. The design and construction planning of the tower utilized the
latest technological advances in materials and construction methods build the tower with high
degree of tolerances that is similar or better than that of steel construction.
The monitoring program of the tower is comprised
„ Extensive Survey Monitoring Program to measure the foundation settlement, column
shortening, and lateral building movement during construction,
„ Installation of Strain gages measurement to measure the total strains from the pile
foundation to the top of concrete elements (level 155), including bored piles, raft
foundation, walls, and columns.
„ Installation of the temporary real-time health monitoring program to measure the building
lateral displacement and acceleration during construction, and to confirm the building
dynamic characteristics during construction. This system included bi-directional
accelerometers, GPS system, and weather station (wind speed, wind direction, humidity,
and temperature).
„ Installation of a permanent real-time structural health monitoring (SHM) program to
measure the building motions (acceleration, displacement) due to lateral loads due to
wind, seismic, and any their unexpected lateral loads. This SHM program was also is
installed at several levels along the building height and it provides in essence a full scale
aeroelastic model that provide full detail information on the building dynamic
characteristics, fatigue behavior of the steel structure in general and the pinnacle in
particular, wind speed and distribution along the building height, and most importantly
feedback on the building behavioral response that can allows for an opportunity to the
building facility and operation management team to have better understanding of the
building response to dynamic excitation.

3.1 Brief Description of the Survey Monitoring Programs:

A detailed survey programs was developed for the construction of the tower that involves the
utilization of the latest development in geodetic electro-optical total stations, these instruments
must refer to fixed reference points with known coordinates, which are critical to the precision
of the entire surveying procedure and to serve as fixed point to the total station. However, the
use of fixed points, with the constantly increasing height of Burj Khalifa, made it difficult to
use the ground level fixed points since the distance between these fixed points and the total
station at the uppermost construction level became excessive for exact referencing of the total
station and the relative distance between the fixed points become too small.

In addition, the precision of the survey system is further complicated by the increasing height
and slenderness of the tower and the movement of the tower during construction resulting from
1) dynamic wind excitations, 2) large and concentrated crane loads at the upper most
constructed level, 3) foundation settlement, 4)column shortening due to elastic, creep, and
shrinkage effects, 5) daily temperature fluctuation which could result in more than 150mm
change in building height at the top of the concrete and over 6 hour period, 6) uneven solar
effects that could result in building tilt,7) lateral drift of the building under gravity loads due the
asymmetrical load distribution, 8) building construction sequence, and 9) mix concrete (from
foundation to level 156) and steel construction ( from level 156 to the top of the pinnacle at
828m). Thus these movements create a number of challenges to consider in setting the building
at the correct theoretical design position. Therefore, the need for an extensive survey monitoring
program was essential to provide the exact building position at any particular instant in time
relative to its design position and to confirm the precise position of the total station.

Overcoming the difficulties described above and to have complete control and synthesis of the
building position relative to its vertical axis at any instant of time required 1) the full
understanding of the survey team of the building movements and behavior throughout its
construction period, 2) the development of extensive monitoring program of all building
elements that affect the building movement, and 3) most importantly the installation of new
“measurement system” that uses the latest development in GPS technology, the “Leica
Geosystem” , in combination with precision inclination sensors, clinometers, to provide a
reliable position of the building at the highest construction level almost immediately, even when
the building is moving.

Figure 7. “Measurement System” : (3)GPS Control points, Total Station, Reference Base Station,

The complexity and the size of the auto climbing formwork system (ACS), due to the shape of
the structure, required very large number of control points at each level that complicated the
survey method further. Therefore, it was necessary to simplify survey procedure and system
that can provide control points when the building is moving and that can be measured only once.
Therefore, a “measurement system” was developed for use at every level and comprised of 1)
three (3) GPS antenna/ receivers fixed on tall poles at the top level of the ACS formwork to
establish the survey control at the uppermost level, 2) three (3) tiltable circular prisms placed
under each of the GPS antennas, and 3) a “Total Station” instruments (TPS) that were set on top
of the concrete and visible to all GPS stations. See Figure 7 for an overall view of the
“measurement system”.

The “measurement system” at every floor is integrated with the installation of eight (8)
clinometers, Leica NIVEL 200 dual-axis precise clinometers , at approximately every 20 floors
from the foundation level to track the tower’s lateral movements due to the loads and movement
described above immediately and to make the necessary correction to bring the ACS formwork
system to its geometric center at every level in order to maintain the building verticality within
the required tolerance at every level (within 15mm)

The Eight (8) Leica NIVEL200 dual-axis precise clinometers are used to 1) immediately
determine the rotation of the tower, and 2) compute the displacement/alignment of the tower in
the x and y direction relative to the raft foundation. The clinometers are mounted on the center
corewall in areas with no disturbances and connected to RS-485 single bus cable to the LAN
port dedicated PC with the Leica GeoMos software located at the survey office. See Figure 8 for
schematic of the integrated “measurement system” with the clinometers. The clinometers are
calibrated relative to the survey control at that level by verticality observations from the raft. A
series of observation will provide the mean x and y displacements for that tiltmeter at that time
and that will be used for all future readings. The data and observations collected from the
clinometers, GPS with the prisms, and the total station were analyzed and synthesized to
accurately position the top level of ACS formwork system.

Figure 8. Schemtic for Integrated measurement system“ with clinometers

While fully describing the execution of the survey system of the tower is novel one, it cannot be
covered fully here, however, this paper will describe the execution of the survey monitoring
program developed for Burj Khalifa to measure the actual building movements periodically and
it includes 1) foundation settlement, 2) column and wall total shortening resulting from elastic,
shrinkage and creep effects, 3) overall lateral displacement of the tower at every setback level,
and 4) lateral displacement of the spire/pinnacle structure during construction and lifting
operation. All periodical survey and monitoring were performed early in the morning and when
the cranes are shutdown and when the differential solar effects are minimal.
.General Description of the calibrated Finite Element Structural Analysis Model
Comparing the actual measured movements (x,y,z) to the predicted displacements from the
calibrated finite element structural analysis model, a three dimensional finite element analysis
program was developed for Burj Khalifa that takes into account the actual material properties
(concrete strength, modulus of elasticity, coefficient of thermal expansion, etc) and the
foundation flexibility (subgrade modulus). This analysis model was also used to simulate the
actual construction sequence of the tower with due considerations to actual execution of all
trades as function of time and shown in Figure 9. The intent of this analysis model is to predict
1) the foundation settlement, 2) the tower lateral displacement (x&y) from foundation to top of
the pinnacle, 3) the column/wall shortening due to elastic/creep/shrinkage effects, 4) the
dynamic building characteristics, 5) the strength design check of the critical elements, specially
at outriggers and link beams, 6) and the lateral displacement (x,y,&z) due to any seismic events
during construction and after the completion of the tower.

Figure 9. 3-D FEA model and Simplified Construction Schedule used for Sequence Analysis.

3.1.1 Foundation settlement Survey

As described above, a soil structure interaction finite element analysis model developed to
simulate the construction sequence of the tower that also include a detailed analysis model of
the raft. The foundation settlement was initially estimated based on the subgrade reaction
modulus provided by the geotechnical engineering consultants; however, the foundation
stiffness were adjusted, based on the actual measured settlements. See Figure 10. The soil
structure interaction analysis took into account the pile axial shortening, soil flexibility, and the
stiffening effect of the superstructure. Sixteen (16) survey points at the top of the raft foundation
were installed to measure the tower foundation settlement.

Figure 10. Foundation Survey Point and measured foundation settlement

Comparison between the predicted settlements, from the calibrated foundation settlement
analysis that takes into account construction sequence, and the measured settlement values were
excellent considering the complexities involved in the analysis and the geotechnical conditions.
Settlement analysis took into account the soil flexibility and pile shortening.

3.1.2. Column and wall shortening Survey

Since Burj Khalifa is very tall structure, column differential shortening was considered to be
one of the most critical issues to consider since the inception of the design stage and during the
construction stage. The structural system was developed to overcome this issue fundamentally
during the development and selection of the tower structural system by equalizing the stress and
similar long term behavioral characteristics of the vertical elements. While most of the wall
elements are tied together at every floor, other perimeter walls and “nose columns” are tied
together through four story shear wall panels at the mechanical levels to engaging them into the
lateral system and to allow for better gravity load and stress distribution. However, to have a
better estimate of the column shortening and extensive concrete testing programs were put in
place and monitor the concrete characteristics. The actual concrete test data were used in the
analysis construction sequence analysis to have understanding the building movement during
construction, during its lifetime, and to allow the flexibility of making adjustment to the
compensation program (if needed).
An extensive survey monitoring program concept was also developed by the author to monitor
the total columns shortening at every setback level, which was reported by the survey team
every month. These survey measurements were 1) analyzed every month and compared against
the predicted measurements, 2) used as a tool to keep track of the overall building structural
behavioral characteristic, and 3) allowed for better management of the actual construction
sequence of the tower. Figure 11 depicts number of survey points measured at a typical level
and a sample of the column shortening at the center of the core subsequent to concrete
placement until the completion of the tower superstructure. Evaluation of the measured
column/wall shortening at all locations indicates that the column differential shortening is
within the expected predicted range.

Figure 11. Location of typical survey points at all column/wall locations and center core wall shortening
subsequent to survey point installation at all surveyed levels.

3.1.3. Survey of the tower lateral movement of the Tower during construction
Because of the tower constant changes in shape and the shift of center of gravity load relative to
the center of stiffness, the tower was expected to move laterally during construction. In order to
keep track of the tower movement and to make the necessary corrections to build the tower to
its geometric center, the tower lateral movement was constantly monitored, almost daily, as
described in the survey section above. A detailed optical survey program was also performed
monthly at every setback level to measure the lateral movement subsequent to the time of its
installation. See Figure 12 depicts the survey point location at every set back level to monitor
the lateral movement of the tower as a function of time.
Comparison between the measured and the predicted lateral movement, shown in Figure 12,
indicated excellent correlation. The predicted movement was based on the construction
sequence analysis model that took into account the foundation stiffness, actual material
properties (strength/elastic modulus/creep/shrinkage), and the detailed construction program for
all trades activities as a function of time. This analysis was performed on regular basis to
compare the actual measured lateral movements to the predicted lateral movement during tower
construction, after completion of the tower construction, and under permanent and long term
building conditions.

Figure 12. Measured vs, predicted tower lateral movement at tower’s geometric center and lateral
movement survey point locations.

3.2 Strain Gage Measurement during construction and for permanent building condition.

In order to manage column shortening and lateral movement issues of the tower, an extensive
strain measurement program was also developed by the author to measure the total strain in the
core wall and columns due to elastic, shrinkage, and creep strains. In addition, the intent of this
strain measurement and monitoring program was to measure the actual strain in the building at
typical column locations (not effected by local conditions), but to also measure the actual
strain/stress distribution in areas where large load re-distribution is expected, especially in the
areas above and below the outrigger levels and as shown in Figure 13. Figure 13 also shows
that the strain gages and load cells are installed at the raft foundation to measure the bending
strains at the bottom of the raft and the direct load transfer from the raft t the soil layers through
bearing. In addition, temporary weather stations are installed at several setback level to
measure the temperature, humidity, wind velocity and direction at several setback level.

A total of 197 electrical resistance type strain gages, CEA weldable series W250A by Micro
Measurements, UK, were attached to the rebar and a total of 197 electroni extensometer –
vibrating wire starin gages, VSM 4200 by Geokon, were designed for direct embedemnent in
the concrete. In addition, 24 Geokon embedment vibrating wire strain gage (type 4200), 3
guage rossettes at the raft and 2 rossettes at the load cells, were installed at the raft foundation.

The in-situ strain measurements shown in Figure 13 below were compared with the tower
predicted strains, from Samsung detailed analysis models, from the time of installation until the
completion of the tower construction. Good correlation between the predicted and measured
strains was found. However, difficulties were encountered in providing continuous
measurement at some location because of the site constraints during construction. The strain
measurements were taken from the time concrete was cast until the completion of construction.
The strain measurements directly recorder temperature rise in the large concrete element, and
the time it took to bring the temperature of these element to the ambient temperature.

Figure 13. Typical Strain Gage Monitoring System Layout at column/walls/Pile/Raft foundation

3.2.1 Selection of Temporary Real Time Monitoring Program and Network

A temporary real time monitoring program was installed at the tower to monitor 1) the building
acceleration level during construction, which was also used for the tower system identification,
2) a complete GPS system consisting of the rover at level 138 and a fixed station at the office
annex; this system was used to measure the building real time displacement with time; and 3) a
weather station was also installed to measure the temperature, humidity, wind speed and
direction at level 138. The detail configuration of the temporary real time monitoring system is
shown in Figure 14.
While the building movement until wind load remained small throughout the construction
period, on September 10 2008, the tower was subject to the influence of a remote earthquake
that occurred in Bandar Abbas, Iran at approximately 850 miles south of Tehran. During this
event the earthquake was observed and felt across the GCC states and many buildings wewr
evacuated at the time of the quake. Figure 14 shows that measured motion of the tower at level
139. The peak acceleration observed were 2.76milli-g and 3,82milli-g in the x and y directions
respectively. Since the tower did not have base accelerometer at the base, real time history
analysis was not performed. During this event the tower had the highest acceleration ever
recorded since the monitoring system installation.
In addition to the recorded building acceleration and displacements depicted in Figure 14,
complete system identification was performed for the tower and included the estimation of the
tower natural frequencies, and damping. Comparison between the predicted natural frequencies
from the three-dimensional finite element analysis model performed by the author and the
measured frequencies were within 2-3%, including the higher modes. The temporary real-time
monitoring program that was conceptualized, funded, and installed by Samsung in cooperation
with the University of Notre Dame (Karem, Kejiwski, and Kwon) was used as the seed in
expanding the monitoring system into the Full Scale Structural Health Monitoring Program,
which is probably firs of its kind in the history of Tall
Building

Figure 14. Detailed Summary of the temporary real time monitoring program configuration and building
movement during construction (due to Sept. 10 2008 earthquake in Iran).

3.2.2 Permanent Full Scale Real Time Structural Health Monitoring Program and Network

The final chapter of the monitoring the structural system of Burj Khalifa was concluded by the
development and installation of a comprehensive structural health monitoring (SHM) program
consisting of 1) 3 pairs of accelerometers at the lowest basement level of the tower, 2) six (6)
pairs of accelerometers at levels 73, 123, 155 (top of concrete), 160M3, Tier23A, and top of the
pinnacle to measure the tower acceleration simultaneously at all levels, 3) GPS system to
measure the building displacement at level 160M3, 4) twenty three (23) sonimometers at all
terrace and setback levels including the top of the pinnacle at +828m above ground to measure
wind speed and direction, 5) and weather station at level 160M3 to measure, wind speed &
direction, relative humidity, and temperature. This final SHM was an extension to the already
developed temporary SHM developed to monitor the building behavior during construction and
developed in cooperation between the author at Samsung C &T, The University of Notre Dame,
and the wind tunnel testing facility at Cermak Peterka, Petersen (CPP). See Figure 15 for the
detailed configuration of the SHM program concept developed by the author.
Since the complete installation of the SHM program at Burj Khalifa, most of the structural
system characteristics have been identified and included measuring the following:
1. Building acceleration at all levels
2. Building displacements at level 160M3
3. Wind profile along the building height at all balcony areas, including wind speed &
direction, which still needs calibration to relate to the basic wind speed.
4. Building dynamic frequencies, including higher modes
5. Expected Building Damping at low amplitude due to both wind and seismic events
6. Time history records at the base of the buildings.

Figure 15. Detailed summary of the permanent real-time Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) program
Developed Concept at Burj Khalifa by the author

Comparison between the predicted building behavior and the in-situ measured response has
been excellent. While these finding cannot be shared fully here because of confidentiality,
Figure 16 provide samples of the data measured in real time at Burj Khalifa during an
earthquake of M5.8 magnitude that occurred in southern Iran on July 20, 2010. While the
magnitude of this earthquake was diminished when reached Dubai and is relatively small (less
than 1milli-g at BK site), the earthquake had frequency content that matched the pinnacle
frequencies, thus setting the pinnacle in resonance. The acceleration time history record
captured at the lowest basement level was used to perform the time history analysis of tower
and a summary of the measured accelerations and the predicted displacement (not to scale) of
the tower is shown in Figure 16 at all monitored levels.
Figure 16. Sample of measured acceleration at all levels (not to scale) and predicted displacement at all
levels due an earthquake event that occurred in southern Iran on July 10, 2010.

4. CONCLUSION

Historically tall buildings design and construction relied solely on minimum building code
requirements, fundamental mechanics, scaled models, research, and experience. While many
research and monitoring programs have been done in tall buildings, these programs had very
limited research and scope and yet to be systematically validated and or holistically integrated.
The intimate involvement of the author in developing the structural and foundation systems for
Burj Khalifa, while at SOM, involvement in the development of the construction methodology
and planning of Burj Khalifa, at Samsung, his involvement with the “Full Scale Monitoring
Program in Tall Buildings under wind”, while at SOM, and the author passion to reflect on the
actual performance of the structure by confirm concrete materials characteristics, design
assumptions, and analytical modeling techniques has led to the development of a survey and
SHM program that provided immediate and direct feedback on the actual structural performance
of the tower from beginning of construction and throughout its lifetime and included the
development of comprehensive:
• Testing for all concrete grades to confirm the concrete mechanical properties and
characteristic (strength, modulus of elasticity, shrinkage and creep characteristics, split
cylinder, durability, heat of hydration, etc.)
• Survey monitoring programs to measure the foundation settlement, column shortening,
and tower lateral movement of the tower from the early construction stage until the
completion of the structure.
• Strain monitoring program to measure the actual strains in the columns, walls, and near
the outrigger levels to confirm the load transfer into the exterior mega columns.
 • Survey program to measure the building tilt in real time, and the utilization of GPS
technology in the survey procedure.
• Temporary real time SHM program in collaboration with the university of Notre Dame to
measure the building acceleration, displacement, and to provide real-time feedback on the
tower dynamic characteristics and behavior during construction and before completion of
structure..
• Permanent real time SHM program in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame
and CPP to measure the building acceleration, movement, dynamic characteristics
(frequencies, mode shapes), acceleration time history record and tilt of the foundation at
the base of the tower, wind velocity profile along the entire height, weather station, and
the fatigue behavior of the spire/pinnacle.
The measured data collected from the above survey and monitoring program were compared
with the predicted structural behavior and responses were found in good agreement. The SHM
and survey and other monitoring programs developed for Burj Khalifa has:
• Validated the design assumptions and parameters used in the design, analysis, and
construction techniques.
• Provided real-time information on the structural system response and allowed for
potential modification to the construction techniques to ensure expected performance
during construction and long term performance.
• Identified anomalies at early stages and allowed for means to correct them
• Generated very large in-situ data on concrete materials and structural system behavior
sand characteristics for all building components.
The survey and structural health monitoring programs developed for the Burj Khalifa will no
doubt will pioneer the use of survey and SHM program concepts as part of the fundamental
design concept of building structures and will be benchmarked as a model for future monitoring
programs for all critical and essential facilities. However, after several years after the
development of the survey and SHM programs of Burj Khalifa, significant advancements in
computer and IT technologies, innovative advancement in fiber optic sensors, nanotechnologies,
dynamic monitoring devices, new GPS system technologies, and wireless monitoring
techniques will be used as a base for future survey and SHM programs and it will become an
integral part of the building design and Intelligent Building Management System.

Acknowledgement

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support and contribution from Emaar in agreeing to the
implementation of the comprehensive monitoring program at Burj Khalifa, Samsung C&T for
100% funding of the temporary real time monitoring programs and partial funding of the
permanent real time monitoring programs and for the highrise team structural engineers (Jaeyo
Kim, Sungwon Kim, Hyungil Jung) for their help in preparing for the 3-Dimensional FEA
analysis and construction sequence analysis model of the and the Burj Khalifa site staff. The
implementation of the temporary real time monitoring program (accelerometers, GPS, and
weather station) was realized because of the full support of professors Ahsan Kareem, Tracy
Kijewski, and Dr DK Kwon at the University of Notre Dame. The author wish also to thank the
University of Notre Dame team (Professors Ahsan Kareem , Tracy Kijewski, and DK Kwon)
and CPP team (Roy Denoon and Tom Lawton) for their contributions to the design, assembly,
monitoring system installation. Special thanks go to Burj Khalifa site team (Alex Kim, CK
Chong, YS Song) for their dedications in supporting the survey and monitoring system
installation since its inception.
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