Global Vipassana Pagoda: Finite Element Thrust Line FETLA analyses

Global Vipassana Pagoda is the largest span un-reinforced stone masonry dome in the world. It was constructed between 2000 and 2008 near Mumbai-India. This Pagoda has a unique structural feature: it is indeed the result of the superposition of three domes built one over the other. With such technique, it was possible to reach the impressive height of nearly 90 meters. Due to the important geometry and the quite poor masonry mechanical properties in tension, the design required comprehensive and reliable structural analyses. Typically, such analyses are carried out using limit analysis concepts with a no-tension material modelling adopted for masonry. This paper shows some meaningful results obtained using a Finite Element Limit Analysis code called FETLA (Finite Element Thrust Line Analysis), specifically conceived by some of the authors of the present paper for the analysis at collapse of masonry domes axi-symmetrically loaded. Using iteratively a common Finite Element FE elastic software, it is possible to evaluate the thrust lines, having a correct insight into the stability of the domes.