Why do skyscrapers sway in wind?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Designed to flex for safety
Foundation shifts underground — Wrong. Foundations are stable. Buildings sway because they're designed to flex—rigid structures would crack under wind stress.
Designed to flex for safety ✓ — Correct! Engineering intentional! Rigid buildings crack/fail under wind stress. Tall buildings designed to sway—distribute wind forces, prevent damage. Taipei 101 sways ~1 meter in strong winds. Dampers reduce motion: tuned mass dampers (heavy weight on springs counteracting sway—Taipei 101 has 660-ton sphere!). Buildings like trees—flexibility = survival. Occupants rarely feel movement (motion dampened). Stiffness + flexibility = structural engineering balance!
Wind pushes them permanently — Wrong. Sway is temporary oscillation, not permanent displacement. Wind creates dynamic loads—building flexes then returns to original position.