Bundled tube system

1.) high-rise buildings

High-rise building
...used to provide a structural frame with greater lateral rigidity in order to withstand
wind stresses. Even more stable frames use closely spaced columns at the buildings
perimeter, or they use the bundled-tube system, in which a number of framing tubes
are bundled together to form exceptionally rigid columns.

2.) skyscrapers
Building construction: Classification of structural systems
...buildings perimeter. The bracing also carries gravity loads and further raises the
lateral rigidity, making this a low-premium structure for the region of 240 to 360
metres (800 to 1,200 feet). The bundled tube, which consists of a number of framed
tubes joined together for even greater lateral rigidity, begins to be practical at about
75 metres (250 feet). It was the form of the steel...

3.) Willis Tower

Willis Tower
Welded steel frames form vertical tubes that provide the rigidity needed to limit the
lateral sway from wind forces. This system minimizes the amount of structural steel
required for a building of its great height. The steel was prefabricated, with nearly all
welding done off the erection site and bolt connections made at the site.

1.)high-rise building, also called high-rise,

multistory buildingtall enough to require the use of a system of mechanical vertical
transportation such as elevators. The skyscraper is a very tall high-rise building.
The first high-rise buildings were constructed in the United States in the 1880s. They
arose in urban areas where increased land prices and great population densities
created a demand for buildings that rose vertically rather than spread horizontally,
thus occupying less precious land area. High-rise buildings were made practicable by
the use of steel structural frames and glass exterior sheathing. By the mid-20th
century, such buildings had become a standard feature of the architectural landscape
in most countries in the world.
The foundations of high-rise buildings must sometimes support very heavy gravity
loads, and they usually consist of concrete piers, piles, or caissons that are sunk into
the ground. Beds of solid rock are the most desirable base, but ways have been
found to distribute loads evenly even on relatively soft ground. The most important
factor in the design of high-rise buildings, however, is the buildings need to withstand
the lateral forces imposed by winds and potential earthquakes. Most high-rises have
frames made of steel or steel and concrete. Their frames are constructed of columns
(vertical-support members) and beams (horizontal-support members). Cross-bracing
or shear walls may be used to provide a structural frame with greater lateral rigidity

in order to withstand wind stresses. Even more stable frames use closely spaced
columns at the buildings perimeter, or they use the bundled-tube system, in which a
number of framing tubes are bundled together to form exceptionally rigid columns.
High-rise buildings are enclosed by curtain walls; these are non-load-bearing sheets
of glass, masonry, stone, or metal that are affixed to the buildings frame through a
series of vertical and horizontal members called mullions and muntins.
The principal means of vertical transport in a high-rise is the elevator. It is moved by
an electric motor that raises or lowers the cab in a vertical shaft by means of wire
ropes. Eachelevator cab is also engaged by vertical guide tracks and has a flexible
electric cable connected to it that provides power for lighting, door operation, and
signal transmission.
Because of their height and their large occupant populations, high-rises require the
careful provision of life-safety systems. Fire-prevention standards should be strict,
and provisions for adequate means of egress in case of fire, power failure, or other
accident should be provided. Although originally designed for commercial purposes,
many high-rises are now planned for multiple uses. The combination of office,
residential, retail, and hotel space is common. See also building construction.

3.)Willis Tower, formerly (19732009) Sears Tower,

skyscraper office building in Chicago, Illinois, that is one of the worlds tallest
buildings. The Sears Tower opened to tenants in 1973, though construction was not
actually completed until 1974. Built for Sears, Roebuck and Company, the structure
reaches 110 floors and a height of 1,450 feet (442 metres), excluding broadcast
antennas and their supports. (See Researchers Note: Height of the Willis [Sears]
Tower.) The architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was responsible for the
design and construction of the tower; Bruce Graham served as architect and Fazlur
Khan as structural engineer.
Welded steel frames form vertical tubes that provide the rigidity needed to limit the
lateral sway from wind forces. This system minimizes the amount of structural steel
required for a building of its great height. The steel was prefabricated, with nearly all
welding done off the erection site and bolt connections made at the site.

The building is modular in plan, with nine 75-footsquare, column-free units. These nine square units compose a 225-foot-square base.
At the 50th floor two diagonally opposite units stop, forming the first step back. The
second step back is at the 66th floor with the other two diagonal units stopping, and
the last at the 90th floor with three units stopping, leaving an upper tower of 20
stories.
The exterior is sheathed in black aluminum and bronze-tinted glass. Black bands
appear around the building at the 30th31st, 48th49th, 64th65th, and 106th108th
floors, at which points louvers clad the areas devoted to mechanical operations of the
building. In the lobby is a major work by the American sculptor Alexander Calder, an
enormous motorized mural named Universe, which he called a wallmobile. The
towers observation deck, the Skydeck, is located on the 103rd floor. In the early 21st
century the Skydeck underwent a major renovation that included addition of The
Ledge, four glass boxes that extend 4.3 feet (1.3 metres) from the building; The
Ledge opened in 2009, offering unobstructed views of Chicago and the outlying area.
The Sears Tower was the worlds tallest building until 1996, when it was surpassed
by thePetronas Twin Towers (1,483 feet [451.9 metres]) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
(SeeResearchers Note: Heights of Buildings.) In 2009 incoming tenant Willis Group

Holdings, an insurance brokerage firm based in London, changed the buildings

name to Willis Tower.

Pic bundled tube

Bundled-Tube structures

The concept allows for wider column spacing in the tubular walls
than would be possible with only the exterior frame tube form.

The spacing which make it possible to place interior frame lines

without seriously compromising interior space planning.

The ability to modulate the cells vertically can create a powerful

vocabulary for a variety of dynamic shapes therefore offers great
latitude in architectural planning of a tall building.