After talking about the Grand Canyon Skywalk in class, I became interested in how it was designed, and the techniques they used to design such a marvelous structure. I have been to the Grand Canyon and I have also been on the Skywalk. It is a great experience and I recommend going on the Skywalk if you get the chance, because it is something you will never forget. Where else are you able to stand 1 mile above ground and look straight down?
When I was waiting in line to go on the Skywalk, I remember seeing signs and pictures of the whole design and building process. I didn’t think much of it, but after talking about it and thinking more into it, that structure has to be pretty stable and be able to hold a lot of weight.
If you are a bit skeptical of going on, just listen to this fact. “The foundation can support the equivalent of 71 loaded Boeing 747 aircraft (over 71 million pounds) or an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles.” So, just based on that, the structure shouldn’t be going anywhere, but how did they do it?
There are many factors that went into building the Skywalk: weight, wind, and even earthquakes. The engineers that designed the glass walkway had to take into account all of these elements and use different design methods to eliminate any question of can it withstand natural forces. Wind is a major factor, because when you’re up that high, the wind can become powerful. So, in order to cope with high wind pressure, engineers made the walls of the walkway 5 feet 2 inches high. “This allows the structure to withstand 100 mile per hour winds coming from 8 directions.”
The glass floor is a whole different concept of its own. Engineers had to decide what material to use that was see through and what also could hold a lot of weight. The solution: “four layers of Saint-Gobain Diamant low iron glass with DuPont SentryGlas interlayer.” “The walkway itself could carry 822 people of 200 pounds, but the maximum occupancy is 120 people.”
Lastly, how did engineers account for earthquakes? Well there are 8 posts underneath the visitors center (the part of the Skywalk on the ground). “The posts are paired into 4 concrete footings that are anchored to the Grand Canyon by high strength steel threaded rod rock anchors grouted 46 feet into the rock.”
Without the methods these engineers used, the Skywalk probably wouldn’t be around because it would not have been safe enough. So, there are a lot of factors that go into make something, whether it be an iPhone or the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and each factor has to have a solution or their will be no product.
My Personal Grand Canyon experience– This is a video of when I was at the Grand Canyon, and yes that is my nervous mom yelling in the background.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_Skywalk
http://grandcanyonsouth.com/2010/01/12/the-grand-canyon-skywalk/
http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/Grand-Canyon-Skywalk-To-Become-Highest-Structure/7998/