China's 2,000-ton skyscraper-building machine
Chinese engineers can build skyscrapers at lightning speed using a giant machine equipped with 12 hydraulic jacks.
The 2,000-ton machine developed by Chinese engineers provides scaffolding for workers to build progressively taller buildings that can stand firm even at heights of more than 500 meters, according toCCTV. The self-standing scaffolding can support weights of up to 2,000 tons and can even withstand hurricane winds. The machine helps speed up construction by 20%.
With two tracks on each side and a total of 12 hydraulic jacks, the machine can push itself upward as workers complete several floors, creating new, taller scaffolding. Each shaft on the track can weigh up to 400 tons.
The machine is being used to build the Wuhan Greenland Center in the capital of Hubei province. The 119-story skyscraper is scheduled to open later this year at a cost of $4.5 billion. At 636 meters (2,000 feet), the Wuhan Greenland Center will be the tallest building in China.