The Tower at Namur Worlds Tallest Precast Prestressed Concrete Structure

At a height of 171 m (561 ft), the Namur Telecommunications Tower in Vedrin near Namur, Belgium, is believed to be the tallest loadbearing precast, prestressed concrete structure in the world. The tower has a tripod structure up to the 96m (315 ft) mark and extends as a single cylindrical shape thereafter. The main structure comprises reinforced precast concrete ring segments, spliced with a special mortar and post-tensioned together. This article describes the conceptual development, design features, precasting techniques and erection procedure involved in building this unique tower.