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
-
You Are Here: Seattle
Seattle may just be the next big metropolis. New York and Los Angeles have held their rightful place in the limelight for years, and cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta are all established ...
-
Seattle's streets set to come alive with historic marathon and half marathon this Sunday
The route will take runners through some Seattle landmarks like the Space Needle, UW Campus, Gas Works Park, and Green Lake. They will also run on the I-5 Express Lanes. On Friday, runners picked ...
-
Seattle Marathon routes close several streets in Seattle. Find out if your drive is impacted
Races start at Fifth Avenue and Harrison Street in front of the Museum of Pop Culture at Seattle Center with runners crossing the finish line inside Memorial Stadium (401 Fifth Avenue North). Road ...
-
Protesters Rally at Seattle Space Needle to Demand Gaza Ceasefire
In Seattle, hundreds of people blocked the main entrance of the Space Needle observation tower Sunday in a Jewish-led peaceful act of civil disobedience calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
-
In bad sign for downtown Seattle recovery, demand for office space tanks
While some metrics for downtown recovery have looked pretty good in recent months, interest in leasing new office space is not one of them.
-
Space Needle
If there's one thing Seattle is known for (aside from coffee), it's the 605-foot-tall Space Needle. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle has dominated Seattle's skyline ever since ...
-
Turner to modernise Seattle Space Needle’s golden elevators
The elevators travel outside the building and are the only way visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle. “Working on such a notable piece of the Seattle skyline is an honor,” said Bill Ketcham, ...
-
Seattle Travel Guide
Seattleites have plenty to brag about: There's the Space Needle and Pike Place ... Want to read the full Seattle travel42 Destination Guide? Visit www.travel-42.com or call 1.866.566.8136 for ...
-
Travelodge Seattle by The Space Needle
What to know about the 2024 Paris OlympicsInfrastructure for the Games — much of it focused on sustainability — is largely already in place. 'Been there, done that?' Think again.Some travelers ...
-
Best Hotels near Space Needle, WA
Ranked on critic, traveler & class ratings. Ranked on critic, traveler & class ratings. Ranked on critic, traveler & class ratings. Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date ...