Capital Gate

This landmark tower will be the icon of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. In June 2010 it was certified as the world's furthest leaning manmade tower by Guinness World Records.

Unusually organic in form, this 34-storey, multi-use building has been constructed using a steel diagrid with a partially pre-stressed elliptical concrete core. It also has massive eccentric dead weight. 

Gifford was appointed as specialist consultant by lead engineer and architect RMJM to advise on construction so that the tower achieves its intended purpose.

Using software including ETABS and DIANA Gifford’s structural analysis specialists were responsible for the following elements.

• The development of a Finite Element (FE) model of the tower for each construction stage with non-linear time dependant analysis including creep, shrinkage and maturity related strains.

• Calculation of 3D pre-cambered geometry to achieve the intended position – critical to the operation of the whole building and especially its lifts.

• Design of vertical post-tensioning of the reinforced concrete core to control cracking so that the structural behaviour of the tower is predictable.

• Development of high-level data processing software to assemble construction sequence simulation data.
  

Cityscape Awards for Architecture in Emerging Markets (Dubai, September 2011); category winner (Commercial / Mixed Use) and Overall Project of the Year. Awarded to RMJM Architects.