The Tallest Building in Mexico City Torre Mayor Mexico City, Mexico

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the design characteristics of the tallest building in Mexico City. The building's superstructure is primarily a steel structure. The columns at the interior and perimeter of the tower are encased in reinforced concrete for the lower half of the tower for added stiffness, strength, and economy. A typical floor framing comprises 3inches deep composite metal deck with 2 and 1/2 inches of concrete supported on steel framing connected via shear studs. Thicker slabs are used at mechanical floors and ceiling to carry higher loads, and to improve sound insulation. Electrified metal deck is specified for electrical wiring. The project has a four story under ground parking structure, placing the lowest level 15 m below grade. A flat-slab system with reinforced concrete and composite columns is utilized for the below-grade structure. The foundation for the tower is a combination caisson/mat system. The building is founded on caissons of up 1.2 m in diameter reaching 40 m down to the hard rock layer of “depoitos profundos” existing below the soft deposit layer,s typically found in Mexico City. The design incorporates a degree of redundancy to ensure uniform action under the most severe earthquake forces.