How Tall Can Skyscrapers Be?
For a long time, engineers and architects have speculated about how tall a skyscraper could theoretically be. Frank Lloyd Wright, considered the greatest American architect of all time, designed a mile-tall (1.73 km) tower, The Illinois. This tower was to be built in Chicago and have 528 stories. It was designed in 1956 and probably could have been built at that time, but at great expense. Structural materials are not the primary limiting factor on skyscraper height. A skyscraper is surprisingly light for its size; after all, it’s mostly empty space. Steel is strong enough to support structures 6.2 miles (10 km) or taller, while advanced composites might support 62 miles (100 km) or taller. The three primary limitations on skyscraper height are wind, elevators, and budget. A altitude vs. maximum wind speed table looks close to the following, for a calm day in a temperate area: Altitude Maximum wind speed 2 km (1.24 mi) 22 mph 4 km (2.28 mi) 56 mph 6 km (4.52 mi) 90 mph 8 km (4.97 mi) 1
For a long time, engineers and architects have speculated about how tall a skyscraper could theoretically be. Frank Lloyd Wright, considered the greatest American architect of all time, designed a mile-tall (1.73 km) tower, The Illinois. This tower was to be built in Chicago and have 528 stories. It was designed in 1956 and probably could have been built at that time, but at great expense. Structural materials are not the primary limiting factor on skyscraper height. A skyscraper is surprisingly light for its size; after all, its mostly empty space. Steel is strong enough to support structures 10 km (6.2 mi) or taller, while advanced composites might support 100 km (62 mi) or taller. The three primary limitations on skyscraper height are wind, elevators, and budget. A altitude vs. maximum wind speed table looks close to the following, for a calm day in a temperate area: Altitude Maximum wind speed 2 km (1.24 mi) 22 mph 4 km (2.28 mi) 56 mph 6 km (4.52 mi) 90 mph 8 km (4.97 mi) 134 mph
