Bending in the Wind

 Bending in the Wind

    When people began constructing skyscrapers, they had to consider the effect that wind would have on their buildings. Imagine standing at the end of a diving board. Think about how the board bends under your weight.

    Similar to how your weight causes the board to bend, strong winds can cause tall buildings to bend. The taller the building is, the worse the problem. This was the challenge that the designers of the Sears Tower in Chicago faced in the 1970s. They wanted to build the tallest building in the world. Yet they knew that Chicago was called the "Windy City" for a reason.

    The designers of the building thought of a creative solution to this problem. To understand the idea, think of a pencil. You know that you could break the pencil if you wanted to. However, imagine trying to break nine pencils bundled together. This bundle would be stronger and sturdier than a single pencil and more difficult to break.

    This was the idea behind the construction of the Sears Tower. The building is made up of bundles, or tubes, of steel. The tubes are connected by steel, and offices are located inside these tubes.

    At 1,450 feet, the Sears Tower is still one of the tallest buildings in the world. Visitors who ride the elevator to the top often remark that they can see for miles, and some say they can feel the building sway. They can be thankful that the building was designed for windy days.