1

THE BURJ-AL-ARAB HOTEL

By
Joe Chan
Garret Lim
Kevin Chung

APSC201
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THE BURJ-AL-ARAB HOTEL

Submitted to
Ms. Pavelich
By
Joe Chan
Garret Lim
Kevin Chung

Applied Science 201

University of British Columbia
November 27, 2006
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Figure 1: Burj Al Arab

Source: Flickr. Retrieved November 25, 2006 from:
http://static.flickr.com/25/44207531_8ea46119a3.jpg

ABSTRACT

“The Burj-Al-Arab Hotel”

By
Garret Lim
Joe Chan
Kevin Chung

i. ABSTRACT

This report analyzes the structure Burj-Al-Arab Hotel, the world’s tallest hotel and

presents the information in the following order: background information of the project, its

structural attributes, and construction challenges faced. The information presented in this

report is based on library and internet research and an interview with Professor Haukaas,
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from the Civil Engineering department of University of British Columbia, whose

specialty is in structural analysis. Burj al-Arab, the world’s tallest luxury hotel of height

321m, is located in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates’ second largest city. The hotel is

constructed on an artificial island 300m offshore and its unique sail profile is

incorporated to the design to reflect the city’s seafaring heritage. However, Dubai’s

geographic location exposes Burj al Arab to an environment which is hostile towards

steel structures. Throughout the year, the temperature in this region fluctuates from 10

degree to 50 degrees in a relative short amount of time and significant measures are taken

to protect the structure as a result. For the hotel to feature the largest atrium of 200m

high, the largest Teflon glassfiber fabric available is used. The designers of W.S.Atkins

has thoroughly revised the building so that it is fully equipped to resist Dubai’s violent

winds, earthquake if it were to occur in Iran, and to provide maximum comfort and safety

to its guests. Through the construction of Burj Al Arab hotel, it develops new solutions to

various engineering applications and signifies the advancement in the civil engineering

field.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Article II. 2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION............................................................10

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ii. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1: Burj Al Arab.........................................................................................................3

Figure 2: Burj Al Arab Interior Featuring Atrium of 200m...............................................11
Figure 3: Artificial Island During Construction Phase......................................................13
Figure 4: An Overview of Burj Al Arab Hotel...................................................................15
Figure 5: Interior View of Fabric Fiberglass Wall (left)....................................................17
Figure 6: Burj Al Arab During the Day (right)..................................................................17
Figure 7: Burj Al Arab Under Construction.......................................................................21
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iii. GLOSSARY

Artificial Island An island that has been man-made, rather than formed by
natural means (Wikipedia.org, 2006).

Bogies A chassis or framework carrying wheels which attached to

a vehicle (Wikipedia.org, 2006).

Burj-Al-Arab The term translates into ‘Tower of Arab’.

Concrete A hard compact building material formed when a mixture

of cement, sand, gravel, and water undergoes hydration.
(Brewer, n.d)

Deterioration A gradual decline in quality, serviceability, or vigor.

(Reference.org, 2006)

Epoxy An organic compound that is commonly used in adhesives,

electrical insulation, coatings, and castings.
(Reference.com, 2006)

Exoskeleton A term to describe the cross-braced frame; a building

technique used to provide a structure support and prevent
sliding.

Geotextile “A product used as a soil reinforcement agent and as a filter

medium. It is made of synthetic fibers manufactured in a
woven or loose non-woven manner to form a blanket-like
product (Epa.gov, 2006).”

Girder A large horizontal structure member, made of multiple

metal plates welded together, supports vertical loads by
resisting bending (Cridlebaugh, 1999).

Gloss The shininess or reflectiveness of a coating.

(Paint, 2006)

Hydraulically Operated by the pressure created by forcing water, oil, or

another liquid through a narrow pipe (Reference.com,
2006).

Joint Venture An entity formed between two or more companies under a

contract in which the involved companies agree to share the
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revenues, expenses, and control of the newly formed

enterprise (Wikipedia.org, 2006).

MAC 500 A model of automated moving head profile spotlight.

(Martin, n.d)

Mass Damper A device mounted in structures to prevent discomfort,

damage and structural failure caused by vibration.
(Wikipedia.org, 2006)

Micaceous Iron Oxide A type of ferrous oxide used in paint coatings to protect
structural steelwork from corrosion. It forms overlapping
plates like mail armor to reflect utltraviolet light, and is
chemically resistant (Reade, 2006).

Microns A unit of length equal to one millionth (10-6) of a meter.

MM VII A very strong Modified Mercalli (MM) intensity scale, but

damage caused is evident regardless of buildings of good
design and construction (Earthquakescanada, 2005).

Polytetrafluoroethylene A type of fluorinated thermoplastic with high chemical

resistance, low leachability, and excellent lubricity.
(Plastomatic, 2003)

Rock Bunds Common physical barriers which are often constructed for
soil conservation purposes (Centre National, n.d).

Span A section of beam between two intermediate supports.

(Wikipedia.com, 2006)

Teflon A DuPont's brand name of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE);

it is highly transparent and resistant to sunlight.
(Wikipedia.com, 2006)

Trusses A static structure consisting of straight slender members

inter-connected at joints into triangular units.
(Wikipedia.com, 2006)
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

The report investigates the Burj-Al-Arab hotel, a 5-star hotel located on an artificial

island 300 metres away from the Dubai Coastline. The hotel, with a height of 321m, is a

unique stand-alone structure because of the complexity of its design and construction

phase. In addition, because of the distinctive sail-shape appearance and unique

architecture of this hotel, it is recognized as well as one of the most prominent

skyscrapers of the century. To date, the Arabian gulf is known as one of the most hostile

regions for construction due to the presence of high chloride concentration, intense heat

and humidity level. A team of 150 engineers and architects from the design firm W.S

Atkins overcame these design challenges to construct this magnificent skyscraper.

Careful considerations were taken into account to ensure a safe design and to accentuate

the structure’s esthetic appeal. The report is based on library and internet research and an

interview with our expert, Dr. Haukaas, a civil engineering professor. Due to the scarcity

of the topic sources, this technical report is written to collect vital information of this

newly constructed hotel and present the readers about its advanced structural

applications. The report is divided into the following sections: the background

information of the project, structural attributes of the hotel, and construction challenges

faced.
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Article I.

Article II.2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The following section outlines the project information and Dubai’s environment.

2.1 Project Information

Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and

commissioner of the hotel, appointed W.S Atkins to design the outstanding Burj-Al-Arab

hotel and oversee the construction process (“Burj al Arab”, 2006). Thomas Wills Wright

of W.S Atkins, the concept architect for this project, work hand in hand with Ms.Kuan

Chew of KCA International and her crew of designers to lay out the hotel’s interior and to

win tourists across the globe with its esthetic appeal (Habtoor, 2000). Combination of

innovative yet efficient structural design with appealing architecture has produced a

skyscraper which is topping as the world’s tallest hotel with a height of 321m (Haukaas,

2006).
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Figure 2: Burj Al Arab Interior Featuring Atrium of 200m

Source: Howarth, Retrieved October 6, 2006 from
http://www.artfulhotels.com/1116ad30.jpg

2.2 Environment

Climate in Dubai is a typical tropical coastal region of the Arabian Gulf which is

extremely hostile towards steel and concrete. Throughout the year, the Dubai's

temperature varies from 10 to 50 Degree Celcius. As a result, deterioration of steel and

concrete in this region is common and is often caused by industrial airborne pollutants in

conjunction with the high concentration of air chlorides (Halford & Walters 2000, 43).

The primary source of these chlorides originated from the marine salt in the Gulf Sea.

Therefore, a protective coating is necessary to keep the structure intact. (Novokshchenov

1995, pg 392)
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3.0 STRUCTURAL ATTRIBUTES

The following section outlines the structural attributes of Burj-Al-Arab hotel in order:

artificial island, steel exoskeleton, and fiberglass fabric. Structural protection was

necessary for this structure as it is subjected to extreme weather conditions. Factors such

as wind effects and seismic impact are taken into account into the design phase.

3.1 Artificial Island

Originally, W.S Atkins was planning to build this hotel inside the city of Dubai.

However, because of the size of the structure, it was placed offshore instead

(see Figure 3). Erecting this tower on an artificial island has its major significances:

minimizing the tower’s shadow on the adjacent beach resort and freeing the inland space

for future development. Due to the high temperature and humidity in this region, the

engineers and architects revised the structure’s layout and its sail profile to harness strong

winds of the Gulf Sea in maintaining the hotel’s internal temperature at a desirable level

(Halford & Walters 2000, 44).

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Figure 3: Artificial Island During Construction Phase

Source: Burj al-Arab Hotel. Retrieved October 18, 2006 from
http://dubaihotel.ws/construction/Construction-of-burj-al-arab-2.jpg

The building itself stands on a foundation of 250 tubular piles with a diameter of

1500mm driven into the seabed (Halford & Walters 2000, 45). “The foundation’s exterior

comprises of conventional rock bunds coated with a layer of the armor system of white

cement concrete, lined internally with a geotextile membrane and hydraulically filled

with sand (Halford & Walters 2000, 45).” The surface of this armor system is covered by

many shed units of white cement concrete to reduce tide impact and to facilitate water

drainage (Haukaas,2006). The construction of the concrete island was completed in

March, 1996 and the time needed to complete this phase allowed the engineers to plan

ahead. (“Burj al Arab”, 2006)

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3.2 Steel Exoskeleton

“The exoskeleton which encases the hotel’s interior is a pair of diagonal steel

trusses rising 273 m above ground (see Figure 4 in the following page). Each aluminum-

clad truss stands upright, like an archer's bow ( Reina, n.d )” . Together the reinforced

concrete and the exoskeleton act as a composite and provide the structure horizontal

stability in all directions (Halford & Walters 2000, 46). Because each steel truss weighs

165 ton each and spans across 85 meters, these elements were specially fabricated in

Jebel Ali which is 25 km away from the construction site (Halford & Walters 2000, 47).

Due to their gigantic size and irregularity, they were transported from the worksite to the

construction zone across the highway using special multi-axled wheeled bogies pulled by

heavy tractor units (Halford & Walters 2000, 47). To place the truss members into

position, a specially made hoist under expert supervision is used (Reina, n.d ). Extreme

care and accuracy was required and precise calculations were made to ensure that these

trusses interlock one another at the tip of the structure without any error (Halford &

Walters 2000, 47).

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West elevation Longitudinal section

Figure 4: An Overview of Burj Al Arab Hotel

Source: Burj Al Arab. Retrieved October 18, 2006 from
http://egypteng.com/projectm/images/ba6.gif
http://egypteng.com/projectm/images/ba7.gif
http://egypteng.com/projectm/images/ba8.gif

“The front and rear legs of the exoskeleton consists of pairs of 3 m deep by 1m

wide plate girders, laced together in I sections, to form a rectangular member

approximately 3 m by 6.5 m in plan.” Temporarily bolted in place, after final surveys and

adjustments are made, they were erected in 12m lengths and then welded together to the

plate girder joints (Halford & Walters 2000, 46). The exoskeleton rear bracings which

prevent side-to-side movements are connected to the steel truss by welding them in place

(Halford & Walters 2000, 46).

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Using three Favelle Favco 760 cranes, which have the ability to lift 12 tonnes at

60m, shipped all the way from Australia, precast concretes floor were raised accordingly

to form the hotel’s mezzanines ( Reina, n.d ). An approximate of 9000 tonnes of

structure’s external steelwork was assembled without much difficulty with the aid of

these special cranes (Habtoor, 2000). Because of the size of these cranes, careful planning

and coordination were required to prevent congestion in the small construction site.

3.3 Fiberglass Fabric Wall and Screen

Resembling a huge sail, a white translucent Teflon coated fibreglass fabric is

innovatively incorporated to the Burj-Al-Arab hotel (see Figure 5 in the following page).

“It is composed of two layers of PTFE coated fibreglass fabric, tensioned between the

steel trusses which span 50m between the accommodation wings stair cores at the double

story height intervals (Halford & Walters 2000, 49).”During the day, the fibreglass fabric

acts by filtering intense sunlight and diffusing it into the atrium space to allow natural

lighting within the building. Because of the curtain’s lightweight and structural

properties, it is optimized to transfer forces to the structure’s column and floor slabs in

event of any seismic events or wind load applications (Wikipedia.org, 2006). During the

evening, the fabric wall equipped with a MAC 500 lighting system, functions as a

projection screen for light performances of high quality patterns to impress the in-house

guests. In addition, “the fabric screen is carefully design such that damage to any of the

fabric panel or both will not cause a failure of the entire screen (Halford & Walters 2000,

49).”
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Figure 5: Interior View of Fabric Fiberglass Wall (left)

Source: Burj Al Arab Dubai. Retrieved October 18, 2006 from
http://www.andycarvin.com/photos/burj-atrium.jpg

Figure 6: Burj Al Arab During the Day (right)

Source: Place-Burj Al Arab. Retrieved October 20, 2006 from
http://www.architypes.net/files/image/cache/burj-al-arab-exterior.jpg

3.4 Structural Protection

Burj-Al-Arab’s external structural steelwork is protected by a high grade protection

system to overcome the corrosion problem due to the weather. “The exposed steel was

then coated with a system comprises of aluminum metal spray, a build coat of two pack

epoxy micaceous iron oxide and a white gloss finish coat of two pack polyurethane to
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give a total dry film of 340 microns. Steelwork beneath the cladding was protected with a

high building glass flake epoxy system with a dry film of 600 microns (Halford &

Walters 2000, 43).” Furthermore, to impart high strength and durability to the structure,

designers specified high quality dense concrete by adding silica fume to cement mixture

(Reina, n.d).

3.5 Wind Effects

Dubai’s geographic location subjects the hotel to severe weather conditions

including strong winds and occasional violent thunderstorms. (Halford & Walters 2000,

43) Due to the structure’s proximity to its adjacent hotel resort, wind tunnel testing was

considered to ensure a safe design. “Based on the guidance issued by the UK’s Building

Research Establishment (BRE) and an analysis of 18 years of wind data from nearby

Dubai International Airport, a 50 year return period windspeed of 45 meters per second,

under the recommendations of Dubai Municipality, was adopted for the design.” (Halford

& Walters 2000, 43)

Various tests were performed to model Burj Al Arab’s interaction with Jumeirah Beach

Hotel so that local wind regime could be determined. Due to the structure’s proximity to

the beach resort, accuracy of these tests is important as these tests dictate the values to be

used in the design. A hotel model with 1:300 ratio is fitted with 200 pressure tapping

points to measure local wind velocities. Data collected is then interpreted by using force

coefficient UK wind loading code to determine pressures values for the design. In
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addition, the same series of tests also allow engineers to project the structure’s

displacements as well its acceleration due to the applied windload. (Halford & Walters

2000, 43)

3.6 Seismic Impact

Dubai itself is not located in an earthquake intensive zone. However, southern Iran

which is only 100 miles away to the north is subjected to moderate earthquake risk and in

turn which could create tremors in Dubai if a seismic event were to occur in Iran (Halford

& Walters 2000, 44). According to Building Research Establishment (BRE)

specifications, it is strongly recommended that buildings constructed in this region are to

be designed to resist earthquake of MM VII intensity. Therefore, a seismic zone factor of

0.20g was considered for the detailed design phase (Halford & Walters 2000, 44). To

further reinforce the structure from any potential swaying, “two tuned mass dampers,

weighing about 2 tonnes each, limit vibrations in the tubular steel mast that projects 60 m

above the building (Reina, n.d ).”

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4.0 CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES

The following section outlines the construction challenges faced by the

engineering team of the Burj Al Arab project.

4.1 Timeline

To effectively speed up the construction phase, W.S Atkins, the overall project manager,

decided to tender the contracts in the respective order and packages: first was the island

and the ground floor slab: second was the structure’s exterior steelwork and fabrication:

third was mechanical, electrical and plumbing works :fourth was the interior design and

layout. (Habtoor, 2000).

4.2 Construction Phase

Because of Burj Al Arab’s size (see Figure.7 in the following page), the construction

required enormous resources: “A total of 3,500 designers, engineers and construction

staff worked to fashion the ground-breaking structure out of 360,000 cubic metres of

concrete and more than 9,000 tonnes of steel, while 250 foundation piles have been

driven 40 metres deep to secure it to the seabed (Tosya, 2005).” Two years of the project

is devoted to reclaim the land from the sea, and an approximately three years to construct

the hotel (Howarth, n.d). For the irregular the steel truss members which forms Burj-Al-

Arab’s exoskeleton, they were specially hoisted in place and then welded together under
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constant supervision. In addition, due to economical reasons, these extremely heavy

elements of 185 tonnes each had to be transported via the highway instead of by sea from

Jebel Ali port which is 25km from the site. Nevertheless, under strict timeline, W.S

Atkins and its subcontractors: Balfour Beatty, and Al Habtoor Engineering, Murray &

Roberts Joint Venture, manage to complete this massive project which commenced on

1994 in just under six years(Halford & Walters 2000, 42).

Figure 7: Burj Al Arab Under Construction

Source: Burj Al Arab Dubai. Retrieved October 23, 2006 from
http://www.muhibbah.com/favco/images/thumbnails/cbeach4.jpg
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5.0 CONCLUSION

Burj Al Arab, is currently recognized as one of spectacular structure in the history

of structural engineering. To date, it is the world’s tallest hotel with a height of 321m.

Situated in the Arabian Gulf, it is exposed to one of the most hostile environments across

the globe. Because of space limitations in Dubai, Burj Al Arab is erected on an artificial

island offshore to minimize its shadow on the surroundings as well as to accentuate its

sail shape profile. Problems like high concentration of chloride in the air and extreme

temperature, wind effect and potential seismic events have to be taken into account in the

detailed design phase. For instance, the exoskeleton in conjunction with its two massive

90 meters long 15 meters wide concrete wings are used to provide the structure horizontal

stability against the seismic loads and strong wind blowing from Gulf Sea. By installing a

Fiberglass wall between the two wings, intensive sunlight is diverted while wind loads

and seismic loads are transferred directly to the hotel column and floor slabs. During the

night, it serves as a projection screen for various entertainment purposes. The Burj Al

Arab hotel project, which is uniquely complex yet rewarding, marks the advancement in

structural engineering technology.

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Halford, M. J. & Walters, P. J. (2000). Designing a landmark for the United Arab
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