TMD // Taiwan
Taipei 101
Formerly called the Taipei World Financial Centre, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world in 2004 and remained as such until 2009. Construction of the 101 story skyscraper commenced in 1999 and concluded in 2004.
How it worksTuned Mass Damper
How it Works
01 // The Challenge
The 101 floors represented optimism and a new ideal. With 100 being a number that symbolized perfect, 101 was a symbol of going beyond.
02 // Environmental Forces
Given the tower’s location on the globe, special measures had to be taken to ensure it could withstand earthquake tremors and typhoon winds – both of which are quite common in Taiwan. Structural engineers designed the building to be flexible so that it could withstand gusts of wind up to 60m per second as well as earthquakes. *
03 // Technology
Working with Motioneering Inc., A+H fabricated the cradle, connecting components, including the bumper and bumper brackets for the largest TMD (tuned mass damper) system in the world (a 730-ton suspended steel sphere), and the only one that is an architectural feature of a building. The TMD helps the building to withstand high winds and up to 40% of the building’s movements are reduced. A+H also built and tested the pinnacle TMDs for Taipei 101. Altogether, the fabrication of components took just under one year to complete. *
* For more information or questions, please contact our partner Motioneering.
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Tuned Mass Dampers in Buildings
Tuned mass dampers, also called harmonic absorbers, are simple yet effective mechanisms that allow us to design and live in skyscrapers. Without them, the lifespan, structural integrity, and comfort of these high rise buildings would be seriously reduced.
TMD // Our Work
Driven to innovate
We’re passionate about achieving what might seem impossible through problem solving, engineering, fabricating and machining. With collaboration and innovation, we push through boundaries, we challenge physics and we go beyond what is possible.
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