Space Needle – how it was built to withstand strong earthquakes, hurricanes, and other extreme weather conditions – as part of the travel series by GeoBeats.
Do you ever look at the Space Needle and wonder why it doesn’t keel over during high winds since it seems to have more mass towards the top?
Well, actually, this iconic structure in Seattle is an engineering marvel and is one of the safest places in the world during extreme weather or ground conditions.
Lightning strikes? No problem. On its roof, there are 24 lightning rods to shield this landmark from lightning strikes.
Also, you may be surprised to learn that the Space Needle can withstand wind speeds of 200 miles per hour – for context, those are category-5 hurricane winds. For every 10 mph, it sways 1 inch. And on windy days, the elevators automatically slow down from 10 mph to 5 mph.
Moreover, the Space Needle is constructed to withstand 9.0 earthquakes on the Richter Scale. During the 2001 earthquake that measured 6.8 on the Richter Scale, the structure did not suffer any significant damage except there was sloshing of some water from the toilets.
The foundation of Space Needle plays a big role in its stability. The foundation hole was 30 feet in depth and 120 feet across and 467 cement trucks were used to pour concrete in a span of 12 hours – such a large concrete effort had not been tried in the West before.
The foundation weighs a whopping 5850 tons and there’s 250 tons of reinforced steel. The Space Needle structure itself weighs 3700 tons which means the foundation weighs 2150 tons more than the structure.
To further strengthen this great landmark, there are 72 bolts, each 30 feet long, tied to the foundation.
Due to the way it has been built, the center of gravity of the Space Needle is at just 5 feet above ground even though the whole tower is over 500 feet tall.
So next time you are visiting the Space Needle, take time to appreciate not only its aesthetic beauty but also its ingenious construction.
More info on Seattle Space Needle (Seattle Travel)
Seattle Space Needle (Seattle Travel) - BingNews Search results
-
Seattle hospital to refuse some patients due to capacity
Harborview Medical Center in Seattle will temporarily stop accepting less acute patients and will divert them to other health care systems as capacity challenges worsen, according to the hospital’s ...
-
West Seattle Bridge reopening date announced
The date, a beacon of hope, is the most specific milestone set by the city since the West Seattle Bridge closed in 2020 due to safety concerns.
-
Cities of Music – TravelSecrest.com
As long as there has been a Los Angeles rock scene, there has been the Whisky A Go-Go. It is one of the world’s most iconic music venues and ever since it opened on the Sunset Strip in 1964, it has ...
-
Column: A Lockport tale from working with WNBA legend Sue Bird for three seasons
As Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird plays the final games of her storied 20-year career this month, I was reminded of my experience working as her media relations manager ...
-
Chile sinkhole grows large enough to swallow France's Arc de Triomphe
A sinkhole in Chile has doubled in size, growing large enough to engulf France's Arc de Triomphe and prompting officials to order work to stop at a nearby copper mine.
-
Quiz: Can you guess these famous skylines?
Some of the skylines have appeared in famous movies like “Skyfall” and “The Dark Knight.” Others have been around since ancient times and feature castles, cathedrals, and dazzling domes. While some ...
-
ABC Companies’ Zero Emissions Tour partners with MTRWestern and Proterra
The companies move the needle on sustainable zero-emissions travel with 100 percent electric motorcoach passenger service and test rides at a special event in Seattle.
-
Olympic National Park in 3 days, from the Hoh Rain Forest to Hurricane Ridge
Olympic is home to four separate rain forests, 73 miles of rugged Pacific coastline and the Olympic Mountain range, with peaks up to 8,000 feet high. It has gorgeous waterfalls, undeveloped beaches, ...
-
NASA will only let tourists go to space if accompanied by former astronauts
Tourists who wish to journey to the International Space Station must be accompanied by experienced space travel experts to avoid complications or safety concerns.
-
NFL BREAKING: Deebo Samuel Signs with Niners for $71.55 Million - Tracker
Updated by the minute, our Cowboys NFL Free Agency and Trade Tracker: News and views on the roster-building effort ...
-
Jimmy Garoppolo Signing with Cowboys Rival? Rumor
Updated by the minute, our Cowboys NFL Free Agency and Trade Tracker: News and views on the roster-building effort ...