Contents:

Introduction
Design Evolution
Components of the structure
Analysis & Design of structural components
Reinforcement
Foundations
Construction challenges
Concreting
Cladding
Conclusion
Introduction:
Bahai Faith
A temple in the capital city of India
Architect Mr. Fariborz Sahba was selected by the world governing body of
Bahai faith, The Universal House of Justice in the year 1974
Flint & Neill partnership of London was the consultancy
ECC construction group of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. were the contractors
Design process for the structure began in the year 1976
Design Evolution:

Architects travel throughout India for Proper design

Symmetric Half-open Lotus flower surrounded by its leaves
Model of the Lotus temple
Components of the structure:

Main building consisting of

Basement
Three groups of Nine shells springing from the podium
Double layered Interior dome
Nine arches
Nine ponds
Walkways
Ancillary building consisting of
Information center
Library
Administrative building
Rest rooms
Analysis & Design of Structural components:

Spherical surfaces for the Entrance & Outer leaves

Arch soffits have a Parabolic cone shape
Spheres, cylinders, toroids & cones for Inner leaves
Nine intersecting spheres form interior dome
Final geometrically converted shapes were so complex that it took the designers
over two & a half years to complete the detailed drawings of the temple.
In-situ Reinforced Concrete construction
Guniting
Analysis & Design of Structural components:

Interior dome is 28 m in height and 34m in diameter

Inner leaves are of 200 mm thick and of 33.6 m in height
Outer leaves are of 135 mm from their cusps to the line of glazing, beyond
which they thicken to 250 mm and of 22.5 m in height
Entrance leaves are of 150 mm at center to 300 mm thick at their edges and
of 7.8 m in height
Shells within the interior dome: 60mm thick
Analysis & Design of Structural components:

Tubular steel glazing frames

Designed for
1.Dead load
2.Live load
3.Wind load ( Return period: 500 years)
Wind tunnel test in Aeronautical Engineering Department at Imperial
College, London.
4. Earthquake load
Finite Element Analysis
Equivalent grillage models for shells in the computer program
Quadrilateral elements
Reinforcement:

Cold twisted deformed high-tensile steel bars

Galvanized to provide additional corrosion resistance
Hot-dipped the bars prior to bending, having preheated them to 100 C to
drive off moisture, Prebent bars tended to suffer cracking during galvanizing.
Tests showed that the mechanical properties of the bars were not significantly
affected by the process.
Foundations:

Heavily fissured quartzite

Random lenses of mica

Uncertainties in the positions and extent of the large soft pockets precluded the
use of piles and all column foundations were designed as mass concrete pads.

Neoprene pads were thought of providing to reduce earthquake forces and

accommodate thermal movements but in view of intended longevity of the
building foundations were placed directly on the rock and designed for full
seismic forces and moments.
Construction Challenges:

Excavations were undertaken by Ahlwalia Construction Company

Primary supports to the formwork for the shells, dome and arches, were
designed by the contractor and constructed of welded steel.
Plywood forms
Purlins
Forms and their supports for all shells were designed to withstand pressures
from continuous concreting and the outer forms were placed as concreting
proceeded.
Three inner leaves were concreted at a time, generally in only two lifts.
Concreting:

White concrete was decided to be used consisting of

white cement
silica sand
dolomite aggregate in the proportions: 1:1.5:3.5 by weight
plasticizer
water/cement ratio: 0.43
Slump achieved was in the range of 70-100 mm
Bush hammered finish for the interior dome, inner & outer leaves
Specified strength was M30
Concrete was drum mixed on site
Concreting:

Three inner leaves at 120 spacing, were concreted at a time, in only two lifts
from their bases to the level of the star beams above
Outer & Entrance leaves were concreted in a continuous operation one at a
time, using the removable outer shutter panels for access for concrete and
vibrators to avoid cold joints.
Concreting time for an outer leaf was of the order of 48 hours.
Ice melt water was used in the mix to take care of the hot weather in Delhi to
cool the concrete, that brought down temperature of concrete from 40 C to
25 C.
Systems of horizontal sprinkler pipes were used in curing.
Cladding:

Shells & arches are clad in white Greek marble panels, preformed in Italy to
the surface profiles and to patterns related to the geometry by Marmi Vicentini
S.P.A Company.
The panels are fixed by means of stainless steel brackets secured by bolts in
holes drilled after concreting and the joints were filled with molded rubber
cordon & silicon sealant was applied over it.
Floor finishes were also of white marble
Balustrades, stairs were precast
Stones used for stairs were made of red sandstone.
Complete construction of the structure was completed in the year 1986.
Conclusion:

The Bahai temple is probably one of the most special and most distinctive
buildings to be built in todays world
The structures complexity and the high standard of quality demanded of the
workers meant that supervision of construction had to be very dynamic and
endowed with an acute capacity to immediately perceive innovatory processes.
Necessary too was a group of technical personnel and of workmen who were
conscious of the task they were performing and imbued with an authentic spirit
of cooperation.
The completed structure remains both Architecturally and in Engineering
point of view , as a MARVEL!
Presented by: P. Chandrasekhar
B.E.Civil (4/4)
University College of Engineering
Osmania University