Callie Sand’s Comps Talk

15 January 2010

Megastructures: The Physics of Skyscraper and

Stadium Design

 

Callie Sand

Megastructures exist almost everywhere we look, from bridges and ships, to airports and sports stadiums.  This talk will explore two quintessential American megastructures, the skyscraper and the stadium, explaining how exactly such behemoths are constructed.  An examination of the mechanisms behind such structures reveals how columns and trusses can be designed to support such large structures, the unique properties of various building materials, and how these buildings are engineered to counteract the ever-present