Humans have been building tall buildings for as long as we can remember, from ancient pyramids to skyscrapers. But how high can we actually build? The answer to that question is complicated, as it depends on a variety of factors, including the materials used, the design of the structure, and the technology that is at hand. However, there are a few general limits to how high we can build.
The biggest limiting factor is gravity. As structures get taller, the weight of the building materials increases, and the force of gravity pulling down on the structure becomes more significant. This means that buildings can only be so tall before they collapse under their own weight. Another limiting factor is wind. As buildings get taller, they are more susceptible to wind forces, which can cause the building to sway and potentially even collapse. To counteract this, designers must incorporate features like tuned mass dampers and aerodynamic shapes to reduce wind forces.
For example, in theory we could build a 1500 meter fully titanium building, but that would take an extreme amount of the Earth’s resources, and it would not exactly be beneficial to our planet. But over time, and through more advanced engineering, we could begin to build over 900m high, but the base of the structures would have to be massive, and it would take an immense amount of materials.
Finally, there are practical limits to how high we can build. Construction costs increase exponentially with height, and it becomes increasingly difficult to transport materials and equipment to higher levels. Additionally, there is a limit to how high humans can safely work and live, as the air becomes thinner and oxygen levels decrease at higher elevations.
Related stories
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-08-16/is-there-a-limit-to-how-tall-buildings-can-get
- https://thetowerinfo.com/skyscraper-extreme-height/
- https://www.archdaily.com/986712/how-tall-can-we-build-construction-materials-and-methods-for-skyscrapers-of-the-future
- https://www.equipmentworld.com/home/article/14951926/is-there-a-limit-to-how-tall-we-can-build-skyscrapers
- https://www.sciencealert.com/what-s-the-tallest-thing-we-could-ever-possibly-build\
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