Optimized structure for Ice Stupa - Architecture that supports nature to resist climate change

Sourabh Maheshwary, Felix Raspall, Simant Verma

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Natural life and human populations in high-altitude arid regions like Leh-Ladakh depend solely upon streams from natural glacial meltwater. Due to climate change, population growth, modernization and sudden surge in tourism, water scarcity becomes a pressing challenge. This led to local innovators to develop the technique of artificial ice reservoirs. Ice Stupas are a type of ice reservoirs, created by freezing the stream water vertically on a structure in the form of huge ice towers or cones of 30 to 50 m height that look very similar to the local sacred mud structures called Stupa or Chorten. The stupa requires an initial base structure usually a dome for shape and stability. To tackle the difficulties faced by previous designs and make construction faster and more suitable, we introduced precise and reliable technology of 3D printing in amalgamation with local material. To test this, we built a prototype with locals using 3D printed joints and regional timber. This paper presents the structural and construction design, design process, the production of components, and on-site construction, and discusses the limitations and opportunities of ice stupa structures.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIASS Symposium 2019 - 60th Anniversary Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures; Structural Membranes 2019 - 9th International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures, FORM and FORCE
EditorsCarlos Lazaro, Kai-Uwe Bletzinger, Eugenio Onate
PublisherInternational Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering
Pages1964-1971
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9788412110104
StatePublished - 2019
Externally publishedYes
EventIASS Symposium 2019 - 60th Anniversary Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures; Structural Membranes 2019 - 9th International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures, FORM and FORCE - Barcelona, Spain
Duration: 7 Oct 201910 Oct 2019

Publication series

NameIASS Symposium 2019 - 60th Anniversary Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures; Structural Membranes 2019 - 9th International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures, FORM and FORCE

Conference

ConferenceIASS Symposium 2019 - 60th Anniversary Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures; Structural Membranes 2019 - 9th International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures, FORM and FORCE
Country/TerritorySpain
CityBarcelona
Period7/10/1910/10/19

Keywords

  • 3D printing
  • Artificial ice reservoirs
  • Climate change
  • Drought
  • Geodesic dome
  • Himalaya
  • Ice stupa
  • Ladakh

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Optimized structure for Ice Stupa - Architecture that supports nature to resist climate change'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this