Tests undertaken to check safety of Emaar’s new ‘tallest’ Dubai tower

Dubai developer Emaar Properties has completed advanced wind tunnel tests to check the structural strength and durability of its new upcoming super-tall tower in Dubai, it announced on Wednesday.

The recently unveiled The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour is set to soar 100 metres higher than the world’s highest building, the 828-metre Burj Khalifa.

Read more: Dubai Creek tower to be 100m taller than Burj Khalifa

Designed by Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava, the $1bn mixed-use building will form the centrepiece of the 6 sq km Dubai Creek master-development, located close to the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary.

Emaar said it commissioned an array of wind tunnel tests and a range of seismic and local climate studies to ensure that the project maintains quality and safety standards.

For the wind tunnel testing, up to 12 different analysis and testing methods were used on a full scaled model, and also on different sections of the project to double-check the behaviour of the building and the wind around it.

Additionally, the wind climate study of the area covered measurements at different heights including data provided by the weather stations.

The design of The Tower also includes multiple damper systems and shock absorption systems, located at different points and heights.

Chairman Mohamed Alabbar said: “An ambitious project on a never-before scale and design, The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour demands high-precision engineering across all its facets.

“The tower is billed to attract visitors from across the world, and will serve as a beacon of hope and positivity for the city and the region.”

Also read: In Pics: Dubai’s new Creek tower to be taller than Burj Khalifa

Santiago Calatrava Valls added: “From the materials selection to the technology used, every aspect of The Tower has been designed and developed according to the strictest international safety standards.

“The wind tunnel tests were an important component in the structural design stage, and we have deployed innovative engineering techniques to confirm the strength of the new icon.”

Shaped like a lily with the image of a minaret borrowed from Islamic culture, the tower will include a boutique hotel, gardens, restaurants, observation decks and function halls, similar to Dubai’s current tallest tower.

The observation decks at the top of the tower will be shaped to resemble an elongated oval-shaped bud with geometric texture. The Pinnacle Room specifically will offer 360-degree views of the sky while the VIP Observation Garden Decks will be designed around the theme of the ‘Hanging Gardens of Babylon.’

It is scheduled to be completed by 2020.

The Tower will also be located close to a Retail District, one of the largest in the world.

Emaar has also launched luxury residences in the wider Dubai Creek Harbour development including Dubai Creek Residences, Creekside 18, and Harbour Views homes in The Island District. A 4.5 km Creek boardwalk also goes around the development’s Island District.