Empire State Building | All the Secrets of the Engineering Wonder

Summary

The video script narrates the remarkable history and construction of the Empire State Building, highlighting its resilience after a 1945 aircraft crash. It details the innovative steel structure, the 'sky boys' who assembled it, and the building's unique design, which contributed to its record as the world's tallest at the time. The script also touches on the fierce competition with the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building's impressive 13-month construction timeline, showcasing the ingenuity and teamwork behind this architectural marvel.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ The Empire State Building is an iconic structure in the United States, known for its incredible strength, which was tested when a bomber aircraft crashed into it in 1945.
• 👷‍♂️ The 'sky boys', or steel workers, were instrumental in constructing the building's impressive steel framework at a height of 443 meters, showcasing their skill and courage.
• 🔩 The building's backbone consists of 210 steel columns, with 12 uninterrupted columns reaching the top, and millions of rivets were used in its construction.
• 🏗️ The construction process involved complex logistics, such as the use of derricks to lift materials to great heights and innovative methods for aligning the columns vertically.
• 📏 The building's design underwent 15 modifications during construction, influenced by competition with the nearby Chrysler Building for the title of the world's tallest tower.
• 🏢 The Empire State Building was completed with 102 floors, starting with a plan for only 50, due to the intense rivalry with the Chrysler Building.
• 📈 The building's design features a 'pencil' shape to give the appearance of height, with no change in width from the 29th to the 71st floor.
• 🧱 The exterior of the building was initially unpolished, with visible columns, but the introduction of spandrel beams and limestone cladding created the distinctive curtain wall design.
• ⏳ The construction of the Empire State Building was remarkably fast, taking only 13 months from start to finish, a testament to perfect engineering and planning.
• 🚇 The building's foundation is strong, laid at a depth of 17 meters to support its weight of approximately 365,000 tons, which is possible due to the solid underground stone of New York.
• 🛗 The Empire State Building features 73 elevators, with a system designed to reach the top floor with the least number of stops, divided into seven parts.

Q & A

What significant event occurred at the Empire State Building in 1945?

In 1945, a speeding bomber aircraft accidentally crashed into the Empire State Building, causing significant damage but the building remained standing.

Who were the 'sky boys' and what was their role in the construction of the Empire State Building?

The 'sky boys' were steel workers who were responsible for aligning and riveting the steel structure of the Empire State Building at a height of 443 meters.

How many steel columns were erected for the Empire State Building and how many of them reach the top?

A total of 210 steel columns were erected for the Empire State Building, with 12 of them being uninterrupted, reaching the very top.

What was the method used to lift the prefabricated columns to the current floor during construction?

Huge Derricks were used to lift the prefabricated columns to the current floor, which was a challenging task due to the height of the building.

How were the columns aligned vertically after being lifted horizontally?

The columns were aligned vertically using an interesting string trick, which involved removing one string and shifting the other to the other end to lift the column vertically.

What is a girder and how does it contribute to the strength of the Empire State Building?

A girder is a structure that connects the columns and provides immense strength to the building's structure, allowing for the placement of floor beams.

Why was the design of the Empire State Building modified 15 times during its construction?

The design was modified 15 times due to the fierce competition with the nearby Chrysler Building for the title of the world's tallest tower.

What material was used for the floor of the Empire State Building and how was it secured?

Terracotta was used for the floor, consisting of individual blocks that lock perfectly between two floor beams, with a concrete layer added for reinforcement.

How did the construction of the Empire State Building achieve such a fast completion time of 13 months?

The construction was achieved in 13 months through perfect engineering, planning, prefabrication of structures, parallel execution of different construction activities, and employing a large workforce of 3,400 workers.

What is the significance of the spandrel beam in the exterior wall construction of the Empire State Building?

The spandrel beam was introduced as a new support structure to hide the columns, giving a more polished and aesthetically pleasing appearance to the exterior walls.

How was the Empire State Building able to withstand the impact of the 1945 bomber aircraft crash?

The Empire State Building's strength came from its robust steel structure, which allowed it to withstand the impact and only require one week of repair work before reopening.