Title:
Monolith Foundation: Built to Last a 1000 Years
Author(s):
P. Kumar Mehta and Wilbert S. Langley
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
22
Issue:
7
Appears on pages(s):
27-32
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
7/1/2000
Abstract:
Approximately 4000 km (2500 miles) to the west of the U.S. mainland, on the tranquil island of Kaua'i in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a magnificent temple made of hand-carved granite stone is under construction. The foundation for the temple consists of unreinforced, concrete monoliths, each 36 m (117 ft) long, 17 m (56 ft) wide, and 0.61 m (2 ft) thick, which are required to remain crack-free during their specified 1000 years service life. Because the structure is being erected on a bed of soft clay, the concrete foundation will support 2000 tons (1814 metric tons) of stonework without any significant settling and without cracking; otherwise, the granite roof beams would separate from the columns and fall.