The Taj Mahal is Sinking

Apparently it's because the original architects didn't factor in the weight of all the tourists who visit it.

Well, no. Not really. According to the BBC, the real reason is that, "The building's foundations require a steady stream of moisture from the Yamuna River to retain its strength - but the river is slowly drying up." But the headline immediately reminded me of the urban legend of the sinking library.

Places Urban Legends

Posted on Tue Mar 13, 2012


Comments

I wish they would explain this better. It would seem to me that a building's foundation's flooding would cause a tilting problem rather than it drying out doing so. But I'm not a structural engineer. Is this typical for buildings or is the Taj Mahal unique?
Posted by hoaxinghal  on  Thu Mar 15, 2012  at  02:33 AM
Well, according to the various reports I've seen, the building has wooden foundations that require a certain moisture level. If they get too dry, then they turn brittle. I'm not sure how exactly that is balanced against the wood rotting from the moisture, however.

I'd expect the ground settling due to water receding and leaving voids behind to be a problem, too, but maybe it's not.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Fri Mar 16, 2012  at  09:03 PM
Subsidence is caused by the ground drying below the foundation, it is actually more common a problem than moisture damage. India in particular is experiencing terrible subsidence as a result of the so-called "green revolution"-- massive irregation is draining the land, which in turn is sinking.
Posted by andychrist  on  Sun Mar 18, 2012  at  09:41 AM
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