Chicago Amoco Building Marble Failure

Natural stone has been used for facade applications for centuries.

Chicago amoco building marble failure.

Façade failure due to thermal hysteresis the failure of the amoco building in chicago serves as arguably the most infamous example of thermal hysteresis. Today we will look at five notable structures that had to replace their original marble cladding. This was the most challenging job i have ever been on. Experts hasten to note that there is nothing wrong with all carrara marble.

The aon center 200 east randolph street formerly amoco building is a modern supertall skyscraper just east of the chicago loop chicago illinois united states designed by architect firms edward durell stone and the perkins and will partnership and completed in 1974 as the standard oil building. At the time this was the tall. Fortified by a tubular steel frame and originally clad with 44 000 panels of 1 1 4 inch thick white italian carrara marble the skyscraper was a structural feat setting the record for the world s tallest marble clad building. 1 2 3 hysteresis his tuh ree sis is defined as the lag in response exhibited by a body reacting to changes in the forces affecting it relating this idea to building failures thermal hysteresis is the term used to describe the long term response that certain types of marble display after years of thermal cycling the stone is particularly susceptible when cut into thin slabs and used for.

Amoco sold the building to the blackstone group in 1998 in what was believed to be a 440m deal. Completed in 1973 the eighty three story amoco building is a dominant feature of chicago s skyline. We removed 43000 pieces of marble and installed 46300 pieced of granite. Originally known as the standard oil building then the amoco building and most recently known as the aon center this 346 metre 83 storey office tower.

Crocker via wikimedia commons. Constructed as the headquarters for standard oil of indiana in 1974 the building changed names along with the company in 1985 to become. Aon center in chicago image by j. The building was rechristened the amoco building when standard oil changed its name in 1985.

The 80 story amoco building at 1 136 feet the fourth tallest building in the world and an integral part of the chicago skyline cost less than 120 million to erect only 15 years ago. The failure of the chase lincoln first bank headquarters doesn t assure that the amoco building will have to be stripped.