Burj Dubai Is Now Worlds Tallest Building

Burj Dubai is now officially the world’s tallest building. The final height has not been revealed but the skyscraper hit a record breaking height of 512m after 1 276 days of construction.

The 141 storey structure, which stands at 512.1 metres (1680 ft), can currently be seen from up to 60 miles away, and is not yet complete. The previous record holder was Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which was completed in 2004 and stands at 508 metres tall (1667 ft). The developer has not revealed the final number of floors or proposed height although it is speculated that it will be a whopping 1011m tall, nearly twice the height of the Taipei 101.

The building has already used more than 313 700 cubic metres of concrete and 62 200 tonnes of reinforcing steel. It recently broke another record for vertical concrete pumping to a height of 460 metres (1 509 ft); again it surpassed Taipei 101, which managed 448 metres (1 470 ft).

The structure is made of high strength concrete, and has been designed to manage the effect of wind and seismic movements. Large reinforced concrete mats and piles sit with an 80 000 sq ft foundation slab and 50-metre deep piling, both of which are waterproof and feature cathodic protection.

The construction is due for completion in 2008.