 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Prject Features
Mahaweli Mahaseya Stupa is under construction near the top of the hill overlooking the already completed 90 m high concrete face rock fill type Kotmale dam in the Central Hilly Region of Sri Lanka. The main structural constituents of the Stupa are as follows :
I Main dome is a reinforced concrete hemispherical shell of diameter 60.96m. The shell has a uniform thickness of 280 mm.
II The shell rests on a ring beam at the base. The ring beam is of size 1090 mm x 1220 mm.
III The ring beam it-self is supported on 32 circular columns (11 m high) around the periphery. These columns are an extension (above the ultimate ground floor level of the stupa) of 32 Nos. Benoto piles driven up to the rock-level varying in depth from 16.5 m to 24.5 m. The piles are of reinforced concrete construction and are of 1090 mm and 1200 mm diameter alternately.
IV At the top of the dome, there is another ring beam of size 6000 mm x 675 mm around the 20.65 m diameter opening over which the 42.15 m high spire structure is to be made.
V. The spire structure itself has four components, namely:-
(a) Square chamber (20.3m x 20.3m x 10.63m height) immediately above the upper ring beam of the dome
(b) God's chamber, which is cylindrical, rests over the 1 square chamber. This chamber is of 12.5m diameter and 3.7m height.
(c) Over the God's chamber is a taping tower like structure which is usually called the main spire. It is 22.55m high.
(d) On the top of the spire is mounted a bronze pinnacle set with a precious topaz crystal at the top. All the components of the spire except the pinnacle (which will be in bronze) were proposed to be of RCC Construction. However, studies are presently foot to have the spire structure in stainless steel frame to reduce the weight and facilitate construction at that elevation. General architectural view of the finished structure and the basic structural components of the stupa are shown.
The structure has been designed and is being constructed entirely by Sri Lankan engineers, technicians and workforce.
The most interesting and innovative aspect of construction is the sequence and Technique of construction adopted for the dome in which the need for scaffolding and staging for supporting and the form work and laying concrete was entirely dispensed with. This was achieved by casting the top ring beam in advance, 28.5m above the ground over a temporary steel framework and using this rings beam with the bottom ring beam to erect to a precise profile the Full steel reinforcement, both longitudinal and transverse-and utilize this steel skeleton cage for supporting the form work and progressive weight of concrete -laid in rings of one meter height (See photograph l)
