Optimal lateral stiffness design of tall buildings of mixed steel and concrete construction

This paper presents an optimal sizing technique for the lateral stiffness design of tall steel and concrete buildings. The minimum structure cost design problem subject to lateral drift constraints is first mathematically formulated and then solved by a rigorously derived Optimality Criteria (OC) method. The emphasis is particularly placed on the practical applicability of the optimization technique in engineering practice. Once the structural form of the lateral load resisting system of a building is defined, the optimal steel and concrete element sizes are then sought while satisfying all serviceability lateral stiffness and practical sizing requirements. The effectiveness and practicality of the optimization technique is illustrated through an actual application to the preliminary design of an 88‐storey building in Hong Kong. When complete, the building will be 420 m tall and will become the tallest building in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.