Statue of Unity construction - challenges, fixes & updates

@thebigk • Oct 22, 2024

Oct 22, 2024

1.9K

Statue of Unity is an upcoming civil & structural engineering marvel at the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat India. The statue, once completed, will be twice the height of Statue Of Liberty (USA). Measuring about a 182 meters high and to be constructed at about a distance of 3.2 Km from the Dam on Narmada river. What impresses me is the scale at which this statue is being built. Even with my limited civil and structural engineering skills, I can definitely tell that construction of the statute is going to be a huge engineering challenge.

Would like to know from our CEans how the statues of this scales are usually constructed and what are the biggest challenges. I'm even more curious to know how does the structural design ensure the stability of the statue during winds or storms or quakes (Gujarat is in the earthquake prone zone).

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KSS Manian

@kss-TLq9Kp • Oct 30, 2013

I think its not much difficult @#-Link-Snipped-# -
As a structural engineer, i assumed the statue is a (182m ht- cylinder)60 storey building full of concrete. Assumed the dia will be 20m. Then the self weight of the statue is 142943 tonne. The base of the statue will supported with foundation of 80m dia min or any Pile fondation.
Its purely designed for the self weight, wind, seismic.

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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Oct 30, 2013

Thank you for your response, @#-Link-Snipped-# . From my (non-civil) observation of the tallest buildings, I've found out that they have a flatter base and a narrower top; which I believe offers stability to the structure. However, the structure in the video stands on a very narrow structure. I'm more concerned about the overall ability of the structure, especially the ankle area to handle various forces acting on the body.

Wouldn't the design require very strong material/support at the ankle area of the statue?

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KSS Manian

@kss-TLq9Kp • Oct 30, 2013

Kaustubh Katdare
the structure in the video stands on a very narrow structure.
Sorry i cant view the video in my office.😔
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Jeffrey Arulraj

@jeffrey-xA7lUP • Nov 2, 2013

Kaustubh Katdare
Wouldn't the design require very strong material/support at the ankle area of the statue?
Sir When we omit the feet of the statue the tower base is really wider and that I think can sufficiently provide support to the whole structure

That base is wide enough for balancing the centre of gravity of the building within the base of the building at any point of time
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Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Nov 4, 2013

This 65 foot tall Hanuman statue is atop the Puttaparthy Hill. The VC of the University (a friend) there called me for some academic activity. He took me to see this statue. He told that the Sanjeevini Parvat in Hanuman's hand weighed many tons. I said that it was not clear how the load was balanced. He told me that L&T were commissioned to do this. Their design team felt that the statue would be unstable with such an offset weight.
It seems that Swami produced a mini version of the present statue and said,'Do this. It will stand.'
L&T did that.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Nov 4, 2013

@#-Link-Snipped-# - That's an interesting structure! I'd really love to have comments from L&T folks who built it. But I'm still curious to know how does the statue stand with minimal base. Is there any natural protection around to counter winds?

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Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Nov 5, 2013

Is there any natural protection around to counter winds?
I am at a loss. I went all around the statue and could not find any obvious support. The asymmetric load foxed me. I sort of reconciled myself by considering a vertical line through the left foot toes in contact with the ground and accounted for the moments of loads on either side. It appears that the centre of gravity of the whole is on a vertical line between the two legs.
However, you are right; it is still a mystery how wind loads are handled on that rather windy hill top.
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KSS Manian

@kss-TLq9Kp • Nov 5, 2013

Kaustubh Katdare
@#-Link-Snipped-# - That's an interesting structure! I'd really love to have comments from L&T folks who built it. But I'm still curious to know how does the statue stand with minimal base. Is there any natural protection around to counter winds?
@#-Link-Snipped-# - Thank you sir, for your information.
@#-Link-Snipped-# - Dont see that the foot is not transfer all the top loads to the ground. It will transfer the load to the foundation. It is similar like an inclined column. The column(foot) is connected with the large base(foundation) which is hidden below the ground level.
If taking about the stress acting at that point. I agree it might be higher, but it can counteract with the provided reinforcements (Shape & size & bend) in that location.

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