The Risks of Building a High Rise

When most of us think about high rises, our minds inevitably turn to the 60-, 70- and 80-story buildings that tower above most urban areas. In fact, when the world’s first skyscraper, Chicago’s Home Insurance Building, was erected in 1885, it topped out at a whopping 10 stories, rising roughly 138 feet above the ground.

Despite modern architects’ ability to create mammoth buildings that literally scrape against the sky, the current definition of a high rise is any building taller than seven stories. That may not sound like a lot, but whether you’re working on the eighth story or the 80^th, the risks associated with high-rise construction in Indiana are real.

Challenging construction

You’re probably aware that most skyscrapers are built in areas where there are many people and buildings already in place. That’s only natural. You wouldn’t build a high rise in a community that didn’t have enough tenants or employees to fill it. Still, building in areas where there are already existing structures presents hurdles that other construction simply doesn’t offer.

High rises are often built to consume as much of their property’s square footage as possible. In other words, high rises need to be built most often in tight quarters, where mistakes or spillover accidents can cause issues with your neighbors. Secondly, the higher your building gets, the more likely it is to bend and sway if your construction isn’t precise.

Fighting Mother Nature

As you might expect, the taller your high rise, the more treacherous building becomes. Veteran builders like to joke that building a 50-story high rise is the same as constructing a one-story building—you just have to repeat the first story 49 more times. Of course, that’s far from the truth.

As high-rise construction in Indiana climbs in stories, the threat from nature becomes more prevalent. Winds get stronger. Fires become harder to escape. Rain is more harmful. Natural disasters like earthquakes or tornadoes can prove catastrophic.

A “giant ballet performance”

Almost every skyscraper is built with concrete, from the foundation through the top floor. The higher you go, however, the more dangerous concrete pouring becomes. Indeed, a two-year period in New York demonstrated that “61 percent of the 41 instances in which material fell from high-rise construction sites last year occurred during concrete operations.” That means when you’re employing a high-rise construction company, you should make sure you verify their skill with concrete pouring.

The pros you can count on

If you’re considering high-rise construction in Indiana, the team to trust with your job is Benchmark Fabricated Steel. Since 1971, we have offered a huge array of construction services to help our valued clients at every step during the construction process. From design to drawings to fabrication and construction, our highly-skilled team is ready and waiting to help with the steel construction of your dreams.

Don’t take chances with your high-rise construction—come to the team with the experience and skill to get the job done right. Reach out to us today!

Categorised in: High-Rise Construction

This post was written by Writer