Samsung C&T adopts state-of-the-art technologies for world's tallest skyscrapers

Samsung C&T Corporation has received orders from overseas clients, including projects for constructing the world's tallest and second-tallest skyscrapers.

Currently, the tallest skyscraper in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This tower is a symbolic structure that elevated the standing of Korea's construction industry in the 2000s. Construction started in 2005 and was completed in 2009, resulting in a tower that stands 828 meters tall with 163 stories. The building houses hotels, stores, and residences, all interconnected by 58 elevators. The project was massive, involving around 7 million workers from about 50 countries.

In January 2024, Samsung C&T completed the construction of Merdeka 118 in Malaysia, the second-tallest skyscraper in the world. Merdeka 118 is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. With a total area of 673,862 square meters, the structure stands at 679 meters with 118 floors above ground and five basement levels. Merdeka 118 is 47 meters taller than Shanghai Tower in China, previously the second tallest skyscraper. The opening event of Merdeka 118 was attended by high-ranking guests, including the King and Queen of Malaysia.

Samsung C&T, having built the world's two tallest buildings, has applied cutting-edge construction methods. The Burj Khalifa is also known as a "concentration of modern engineering technologies." Construction took 59 months, with each floor taking three days to complete. A key technology involved assembling the pillars and rebars for the walls on the ground and then moving the assembled structure in one go to the construction site using a tower crane for installation.

Concrete made on the ground was transported vertically using high-pressure pumps and piping. Additionally, the pinnacle was installed using lift-up engineering technology, pushing it up with hydraulic jacks without installing a tower crane at a height of 500 meters. Leveraging the know-how and experience from the Burj Khalifa project, Samsung C&T increased efficiency at the Merdeka 118 construction site by utilizing high-pressure pumping and lift-up technology.


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