• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Science / How Long Do Skyscrapers Last If Properly Maintained and Why Are Old Buildings Demolished?

How Long Do Skyscrapers Last If Properly Maintained and Why Are Old Buildings Demolished?

June 24, 2020 by Karen Hill

If they are properly maintained, structural engineers believe skyscrapers will last forever.

After proper design, the key is the integrity of the materials.

Steel or concrete can be damaged by things like acid rain, but if damaged material is replaced, the building will survive.

If a structure like the World Trade Center were abandoned and not maintained at all, the first thing to go would probably be the curtain wall, the skin of the building.

As it was weathered by rain, pieces would probably start to fall off.

However, it would probably take twenty-five to fifty years for the core to be affected.

Massive buildings of masonry may have a longer lease on life than those with a glass skin, but advances in sealants and other materials and techniques mean modern buildings may have more staying power.

Except for disaster damage from things like earthquakes, bombs and fires, the reason buildings come down is often economic, because there is no money for maintenance or because the real estate is too valuable for the structure that is on it.

In a throw-away economy, we throw away buildings, too.

Related Facts

  • How are Buildings Demolished and Recycled?
  • Top 25 Inventions That Changed the World
  • How Is Glass Made?
  • History of Elevators
  • How do engineers and construction crews make tall buildings perfectly straight and vertical?
  • Why Are There Skyscrapers In Lower Manhattan and Midtown But Very Few Tall Buildings In Between?

Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Would a Penny Dropped From the Top of the Empire State Building Fall Faster When Dropped Flat or On Edge?
Next Post: How Do You Tell Real Pearls From Imitation Pearls By Rubbing Them On Your Teeth? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy