Long-term structural performance monitoring system for the Shanghai Tower

The Shanghai Tower, currently being constructed in Shanghai, China, is a supertall building with a height of 632 m. The Shanghai Tower will be the tallest skyscraper in China after its completion. This structure consists of a core wall inner tube, an outer mega-frame, and a total of six levels of outriggers that connect the tube and the frame. The structure needs comprehensive full-scale investigation to understand its structural performance when subjected to dead loads, strong winds, earthquakes, and temperatures, given its supertall height and complex structural configuration. A sophisticated structural performance monitoring system that consists of more than 400 sensors is designed for both in-construction and in-service real-time monitoring of the skyscraper. This paper reports the structural system and provides details on the performance of the monitoring system. The key features of the monitoring system are the following: (1) simultaneous installation of sensors and data acquisition systems with structural construction to record initial values; (2) measurement of structural settlement and displacement at different construction stages; (3) direct measurement of wind loads on structure facades through 27 wind pressure sensors; (4) measurement of structural inclination and derivation of structural sway at different heights using 40 inclinometers. Preliminary monitoring data, which include deformation and strain/stress up to the present construction stage, are also presented and discussed.