Stress Development of a Supertall Structure during Construction: Field Monitoring and Numerical Analysis

The safety of the 610 m Guangzhou New Television Tower, due to become China's tallest structure on completion, is an issue that concerns many parties because of the lack of sufficient experience, official design codes, and construction guidelines for such a skyscraper. This article investigates the strain/stress development of this supertall structure through the integration of finite element analysis and field monitoring during the construction stage with a particular focus on the following issues: (1) the shrinkage and creep properties of high-strength low-shrinkage concrete; (2) the strain response of the structure to extreme events including typhoons, a major earthquake, and unfavorable construction loads; and (3) the stress evolution of the supertall structure as construction activity progresses. Field monitoring results demonstrate that the strain responses of the structure to natural hazards are within safe ranges. Finite element model predictions made at different stages of construction are in good agreement with measurement data. The monitoring exercise described in this article provides the designer, the contractor, and the client valuable data regarding the safety of the tower. It verifies the effectiveness and importance of monitoring during the construction phase for such a complex supertall structure.