Is there an upper limit to the height that a man-made structure could reach?

Question

My question is...

Could we built a structure a mile high? Five miles high? Higher? Perhaps a monolithic structure such as a single column tower or something similar would be more difficult but what if the object had an enormous/deep base - say 10 miles for example - could it support a structure one mile (or more) high? What would prevent this? Gravity? Wind sheer? Techtonic movement?

Regards
Conor

Answer 1

Maybe we could make one a mile high(not likely) especially if it doesn't have to hold people like a radio tower, five miles - no chance. Bear in mind the tallest structure right now is the CN tower and it’s not even close.
There are lots of reasons we can't go too high. Yea a deep base helps but it’s not enough the structure would have to be made of very strong light materials to hold that much weight. For instance if you took blocks of cheese and stacked them in a tall room with the bottom block would eventually squish. The same concept applies to concrete and steal and bedrock. Tall buildings require large bases for balance and support the base for a building that size would be huge. The wind pressure of the side of the building would be very large and the building would have lots of sway. Buildings are made so they give a little so they don’t break and radio towers use huge steel cables for support. Ever been at the top of a sky-scraper you can get sea sick from the movement.
Of course an earthquake free area would be a huge plus-building in earthquake zones are build on giant rollers and springs.

It is possible that a single tower that tall could be built but there would be huge obstacles the largest of these is money- the cost estimate would be billions-and the actual price would be double that. Next comes practicality elevators are always a huge challenge for builders and for a building that tall you would probably have to go up four separate sets just to get to the top(a full length elevator is not practical-imagine the wait and how many you would need). And you would probably have to rent the top floors to the navy so the people wouldn't puke their guts out (sea sick).
My personal opinion is that we could build a "just for looks" building that tall but probably not an actual building.
I'm not a bonifide expert or anything but I am a civil engineering student so I know a thing or two.

Answer 2

Yes.


Or did you want to know what the limit is? I don't know what that would actually be, but there has to be a limit, even if one had infinite time and materials, if you pile up too much stuff it will collapse into a black hole. If you have finite materials, the obviously the height is finite. If the structure has a large base (think pyramid) one could get pretty tall, how tall is Mt Everest? a bit over five miles I think, but at a certain point the earths crust won't support your structure, but you'll probably run out of money before you get that high.

Answer 3

Theoretically there is no upper limit. However as we go higher we have to consider loads in the lateral directions also mainly wind loads etc. These loads would create what is known as bending moment which in simple terms mean swaying of the structure. So these structures need support for stability in the horizontal direction also. This would make it very complicated and expensive. Trust this clarifies.

Answer 4

Arthur C. Clark (discoverer of the geosynchronous orbit)
postulated
(in Fountains of Paradise)
a tower (or ribbon) to go beyond geo. orbit. Part of it
(at the bottom) is supported like a conventional skyscraper,
the rast hangs from a counterweight out beyond geo. orbit.

Apparently this *is* hypothetically possible, but involves some exotic material(s), like sapphire ribbon.

Anyway, the answer would be about 100 kilometers.

Answer 5

I dunno...maybe pressure might limit the height...