"प्रकृति ने ताज महल को कुछ ऐसी अदृस्य खुबिया - न्योच्छावर की है कि ताज को कभी भी बदरंग नही होने देगी। परन्तु मुख्य गुमंद पानी के रिसाव के कारण सुरक्षित नहीं रहेगी A.S.I को चेतावनी।" डॉ. राम बजाज

 Centre Dome of Taj Mahal

Is a crown of Taj an Art of Beauty

There are various Proofs of Damages of Central Dome as well as terrace over Main Dome

1. The letter written to Shah Jahan by Aurangzeb further stated that "During the Rains last year. The terrace over the main dome also leaked in two or three places." At that time the master builders say that they are unable to suggest any measures of repair to the main dome. Remember, that they were unable to suggest any measures because of very-very heavy damages to the central dome as well as the terrace of the main dome. However the history is silent about actual step taken by Emperor (Records are available).

2. In the year 1941-1942 the Government of India that time has constituted an advisory committee of five experts for adequate measure of repairs and recommendations some of the following measures for major damages.

(a) Rain water should be prevented from entering the masonry of dome & the drum. To make the dome watertight, it is necessary that all the stones that have bulged out or cracked be replaced in hydraulic lime mortar with stones to the full height and thickness of a course.... (Leakage in masonry of dome & the drum was already existing during year 1941-42)

(b) The inside surface of dome should be stripped of plaster and left as such for a couple of years to observe the result of above treatment of the dome & the drum (Imagine, how serious were the leakages in dome & drum in the year 1941-42).

(c) The entire exposed roof of the main building should be made water proof by covering it with suitable water proofing material. Bituminous preparations should be avoided (Imagine how serious the leakage of main roof was).

(d) Most important fact is that there was rain water accumulation in the outer surface of the region of drum. The "Seven Gallons" of water was collected from the three places of the South-East part of drum. (Imagine, that how serious nature of leakage was there in the drum in the year 1941-42)

There are the permanent records available to the Government of India 1941-42 and now with ASI.

Serious Technical Facts about the complete stability of the central dome with structure

There are at least four stages of the series of arches of different nature and materials-which holds any amount and capacity of any type of loading on main structure as well as of central dome.

(1) At the level of circular deep well foundation.

(2) At the level below plinth level.

(3) At the level of underground with red stone arches picture.

 

(4) At the level of super structure and main building. The four big arches at the centre of all four side and four small arches name "IVONS" at the corner of the main building.

(5) And finally the eight relieving arches below the central drum and the structure.

6) Because of all these safety factors of their stability of the structure, the two big earthquake ranging between 6.3 to 7.3 vector scale has been tolerated by the Main Structure without any damages to the stability of the structure.

As per the record available the main mausoleum is found the letter dated 1652 AD where the son Aurangzeb points out the cracks in the main dome, the four semi-domes portals, the four small domes the four northern vestibules and the seven arched underground chambers. This letter was written to his father emperor Shah Jahan.

The cracks available at that time must be a major magnitude otherwise the letter had not been written by Aurangzeb.

Now the question arises that these major cracks must have been repaired. But repairing of cracks is the solution of temporary nature not permanent.

By the time 2020, this crack must have developed in major magnitude. It is said that the Taj Mahal has a hole at the ceiling of main hall so as to create a flaw and destroy the dream of Shah Jahan.

The letter written to Shah Jahan by Aurangzeb further stated that "During the rains last year the ferrace over the main dome also leaked in two or terrace places". Furthed during the rains and were Jama at Khana leaked made watertight. The master builders are of the opinion that if roof of second story is reopened and dismantled and treated a fresh, the galleries and smaller domes will probably become watertight, but they say that they are unable to suggest any measures of repairs to the main dome.

Because in our opinion, there are pockets of hole in the surface of main dome as well as the cracks in marble slab & masonry. This leads to percolate the rain inside cracks & dome.

During our inspection by the team of engineers, it was noticed that the plaster at various places- inside the dome area has developed many-many defects and the cracks are visible and very widened. These defects & cracks are due to the seepage of water from the terrace or from the dome surface inside or outside.

Our technical experiences say that the water percolates from time to time. The water quantity seen to quite sufficient collected in the main dome or some other places. This available stored water quantity is more serious to the threat of stability of central dome. Percolation of water drops from the roof/dome has a major cause of concerns.

The cracks in masonry between the soffit of the vaults and the roof of the second floor are of serious nature. These cracks have developed by the rain water moving through very small to bigger spaces or holes created by percolation of water. The main dome and inner dome is the main shooter of such water percolation. The water path should be found out and to be filled with waterproof agents otherwise-these cracks in masonry will create the instability to the whole structure.

The four smaller domes i.e. chhataris on the roof of main building need to be looked into very seriously. The water leakage from these chhataris may cause the seriousness to the columns. The columns have joints which support the dome have very deteriorated conditions. The rain water percolates through these joints creates the weaker zone for the stability of the chhatari during the thunderstorm and great wind velocity having 150kmh speed will create the drought inside the chhatari portion. This negative positive wind will blow out the chhatari from the column-which are weaker at these joints.

Repairs of pinnacle of the chhatari are the example of the deteriorated condition.

Most vulnerable weaker zone of the central dome, where the rain water with thunderstorm percolates through the cracks, through smaller & medium type holes and joint at main pinnacle of the centre dome.

Nobody can deny the fact that there are various holes/cracks in crowns/lotus pinnacle joints. Because anyone can see the joints; cracks and holes filled by the authority that is repairing the main dome; by white cement these cracks in crown/pinnacle. Joints and lotus is the most dangerous weaker zone where rain water humidity moisture percolates inside the central dome.

This situation causes most dangerous degree to the stability of the main dome in future.

The methods used for the repair works of central dome with tightening the various ropes on its neck and crown cup of pinnacle is the most dangerous situation created for the stability of verticality of central pinnacle having height. The various different verging typical loads as far as structural engineering concerns included cantilever forces, chain pulley- pulling forces, wind pressure, live load-hanging and gravitational force on live load working with numbers of labourers.

This mode of repair of such famous structure being 370 years old at this moment-will not be suggested by any technical experts. Danger of losing the life of the various workers who are standing on the crown as well as on lotus? The dynamic displacement may exceed to their limits causing the failure of pinnacle or disturbance in its verticality. If the verticality moves from the centre axis, it will fall on the ground during the high speed thunderstorms. Probably this situation has already arrived at many occasions previously.

Due to above method of repair, the joints of pinnacle are always displaced and cracks develop. These cracks including small & bigger holes on the crown, on the lotus.

The rain water percolates, it moves slowly through very small holes into crown & lotus and then this rain water makes its path for another rain water. Its drops gradually enters in deep pockets of masonry rock of central dome. This process continues in each rain or showers. Then they finally make such holes and cracks from where they leak out in the inner portion of the central dome.

There are numerous small holes, pockets & cracks in the outer portion of the central dome as visible.

During the heavy rains, showers of more duration of raining, the water seepage heavily inside the central dome-where they accumulate air much quantity. There is position that one day it may fill completely. By the pressure of height of water accumulated in the central dome, various hydraulic pressure acting inside the central dome-the water has to be seepaged out at the various places of bottom of the inner side of the dome, lower portion of the inner side of main dome-cracks in marble slab of inner ceiling, gross dampness in the slab & walls of the structure, dampness in the ceiling of first floor, galleries vault and it walls.

Everywhere inside the main Taj structure is having the dampness. Nobody knew it that from where this dampness comes some times the droplets are visible everywhere on the inside surfaces of walls, marble slabs, joints, plaster and loosing of marble slab, loosing of plaster and displaced marble slabs on the top of ceiling of the main arches.

The dropping (गिरना) of few marble slabs have been noticed at the various portion of the main structure. Bulged out marble pieces of slab can be noticed at many places of the main structure. 

So many cracks in masonry between soffit of vaults and roof of the second floor have been noticed. The loose stones are seen everywhere in four minarets, its chhataries and balconies. The decayed concrete & placed on the top of inner dome, can be seen at various patches. 

These are the few weaker zones explained in detail where the seepage of rain water has damaged the structure. Now question arises that what is the proof of these damages caused by the only seepage of rain water only through the water accumulated inside the main dome.

Yes, we have the proof about the excess & very great quantity of rained drained water accumulated inside the main dome.

If these are the three conditions of storage of rain water inside the main drums, then by the hydraulic pressure of water, it has to percolate out from the main drums.

From my experience of the structural engineering and the, experiences of various works inspected on the retentions of water, elevated big spherical tanks are the most reasonable examples available throughout the century. It one can inspect such tank on the top of the such spherical tanks the water of these tanks seepage out at-more at the bottom of the tank, which is visible from the bottom. Also one can notice that the water drops also comes out from the outside. Vertical walls of such tanks though these tanks are 100% leakage proof and watertight structure.

Again from my experience such leakages increase with the increase of the age of the building. Initially, we see that there are few droplets-at the various outer surface of the spherical water tank. So this is 100% correct that water percolated from inside to outside through the very hey boles of the spherical tanks.

Leakage-Leakage-Leakage in Taj Mahal Structural Mausoleum

Rain water leakages are exceedingly detrimental to the health of Taj Structure. The sources of the leakage in the mausoleum are not known to the ASI. The experts on Taj are always misleading the nation. They are not at all capable to analyse the leakage in Dome & Char Minars. Even there are unknown leakage present in the structure. If at all these leakage are known then the sources of water leakages are always left unattended for years together.

It has always caused the significant structural damages that often needed very very expensive rectification to the structural elements, joints marble etc.etc.

Every year by year Taj leaks-leaks-leaks. The scale of leaks that Taj Mahal has come across in the past are always present in rainy season. Yet there is another bigger problem that the Taj authorities need to be concerned about-"Rain Water Leaks" and their seepage leaks. These rain water leaks are exceedingly detrimental to the heath of Taj and its dome. Rain water and the humidity in water.

The rain water could enter the Taj structure through different paths from different loose joints, from different faulty repairs, from different wet areas, from leakage of dome, from leakage of Char Minar Chattaris (छतरी), staircase, from leakage of basements of Taj etc.etc. The main concern is to detect the leaks and then they should be dressed properly-so that these leakages never occur again in the structure.

The main sources of the water leakage have been left unattended for a very very long time, it causes significant structural damage to Taj Mahal that needs very time-consuming and perhaps often needs very expensive rectifications to the structural design and elements. Our experts on Taj Mahal and studies on leakage has identified "rain water leakage" as the most common and unattended features in the Taj Mahal.

Rain water leaks are the major causes of early onset of corrosion and lime deterioration. Initiation of corrosion and depassivation of lime mortar, their joints with brick & brick marble slab, is only possible in the presence of water, oxygen, chlorides and carbon dioxide in the voids between joints of bricks marble stab & stone. Leaking rain water in lime plaster, lime joints, a brick acts as a perfect electrolyte that is one of the basic elements for corrosion to occur.

The role of leakage of rain water and air borne salts are inducing lime corrosion, brick corrosion, marble corrosion & stone corrosion. Rain water leakages in Taj Mahal mainly due to inadequate-poor workmanship on the damaged-structure. Moisture within building has destructive effects structurally. Rain water leakage & seepages in Taj Mahal is due to poor-poor-poor maintenance and leakage defects which in tun leads to further leakages.

Wet Area Rain Water Leakage from Ceiling of Domes

The ceiling leaks of dome is the last thing Taj would like to experience. The rain water leak its way across the ceiling causing dampness patches and even worse when it starts drip & drip steadily during monsoon season.

Leakages in wet area of Taj recorded very high number of defects. The aggressive effects of external weathering on dome make them more vulnerable due to deterioration. Dome suffering from leakages due to cracks not only causes serious damages to thstructures but also cause a great risk of injury. Systems such as such as water dripping, dump patches, marble roof, dome water system is not performing as per the requirement of the rain water leakages.

Due to lack of awareness, lack of expertise knowledge, most of the time ASI cosmetically repaired with "Masala mortar" without addressing the source of leakage. Consistent leaks from top dome and wet areas of dome is causing the corrosion of lime-mortar and their stalling-which in turn will turn into soffit collapse. A large percentage of seepage and moisture related defects in Taj originated from rains.

Whereas seepage in walls of Taj Mahal is always a critical problem. Seepage depends on several factors including permeability of the walls its quality of bricks, lime mortar used and most important the age of Taj, pressure gradient, essentially the combination of forces acting on rain water or water through gravity and other factors like saturation of water holding capacity of the structure. The moisture and dampness due to seepage can result in fungal and bacterial growth, which in turn could cause various diseases. If enough water builds up in cracks of mortar, it can and will begin to seep through the walls of Taj. Continuous contact with rain water leads to cracks in the joint & plaster. Taj's walls sometimes only leak periodically, such as after a hard & long duration of rain.

Marble joints brick walls of Taj take on water in powerful gusty rain storms. When rain blows against marble joints walls of Taj, water always enters from joints to the brick wall. Think of each raindrop that sticks a marble-mortar joints walls, as both hammer and nail. When the first drop hit the mortar, it soaks a bit. There is area in Taj-that is leaking water. The water is coming from marble wall's joints and causes a small amount of water leakage when there's heavy rain.

How water gets into the Taj.

Since joints are porous it will absorb any water that it comes in contact with. Again the brick wall is there behind the marble slab. Since bricks are highly porous, it will again absorb any rain water that comes in contact through joint. The brick is capable of keeping the water inside itself. But if so much water is absorbed through cracks and joints, the brick become saturated then water can actually flow through brick. The water will migrate downward by the force of gravity until it gets to the bottom. Once it gets to the bottom, it is then diverted away from the interior of the Taj Mahal structure by flashing which goes around openings of joints and cracks.

Cracks-cracks-cracks in Taj-Leaks-leaks- leaks in Taj

If not attended properly by the highly technical experts, it will damage the whole- structural mausoleum. It is warning to the ASI by the expert's team of engineers along with me- The head of the expert's team. Please note and act immediately.

Experts view analysed the structural stability of cracked dome of Taj:

Our experts team of engineers analyses the structural stability of cracks in domes and minarets. For historical marble faced masonry domes & cracks in minarets, A small movement of supports will cause cracking and may even lead to collapse. As the support moves a part, the structure adapts, causing the crown of marble faced dome to descend and meridional cracks to form, which increases the value of horizontal thrust on the supports. Here, we have to keep in our mind the expert's view that the mausoleum is about 370 years old the mortar used in brick masonry dome is in minimum strength position at present. Which is a fundamental cause of failure of any brick lime dome structure.

The theoretical minimum thrust of hemispherical dome is determined with a modified thrust line method, which is an improvement over the membrane theory by allowing hoop forces and meridional forces to deviate the dome centre line. An iterative computation is used to determine the amount of horizontal support movement necessary to cause collapse for a rigid block dome of Taj Mahal.

One should verify the result experimentally with scale models. The damage to the structure is serious in nature and the 370 old Taj Mahal requires immediate restoration.

Leakage-Leakage-Leakage in Taj Mahal Structural Mausoleum

Rain water leakages are exceedingly detrimental to the health of Taj Structure. The sources of the leakage in the mausoleum are not known to the ASL. The experts on Taj are always misleading the nation. They are not at all capable to analyse the leakage in Dome & Char Minars. Even they are always unknown to the leakage in the structure. If at all these leakages are known then the sources of water leakages are always left unattended for years together. It has always caused the significant structural damages that often needed very very expensive rectification to the structural elements. joints marble etc.etc.

Warning-warning-warning

We are here showing-few of the warnings reported by the news agencies. These reports are serious warning to the ASI-authorities about present situation for the stability of the structure.

(1) Taj Mahal springs a leak after Rain date 16 July 2005

"The roof of the Taj Mahal, India's world famous monument to love, has sprung a leak after heavy monsoon rain lashed northern India-earlier this week a newspaper said yesterday".

Water seeped is through the white marble roof of the 350 year old Taj Mahal on Thursday, the Hindustan Times said, quoting officials from ASI. Monsoons have begun sealing the leak in structure with lime and mortar, said an ASI official.

"It is very important to note for the stability of Dome"

- Dr. Ram Bajaj (Structural Engineer)

The leak probably occurred because the marble blocks expanded in the intense heat preceding the monsoon but contracted when the rain cooled causing hairline shifts in the alignments of blocks, ASI official said.

"These hairline shifts in the alignments of block along with historical masonry domes of supports will cause cracking and may lead to a bigger cracking which is most alarming to the technical experts."

- Dr. Ram Bajaj (Structural Engineer)

(2) Callous ASI fails to conserve historic Taj Mahal, water leaks detected at Royal Gate. "India Today 2 January 2014".

The recent rains have served to reveal the callousness with which the ASI is handling the monument's repairs with the Royal Gate, which was used by the emperor Shah Jahan to enter Taj Mahal leaking torrents of water. Due to corrosion caused by rain water, both the red sandstone work and the inlay are getting damaged. Remember that the ASI had conducted extensive repair work at the Royal Gate in 2003,

(3) Taj Mahal minaret pinnacle falls during cleaning process claims monument security committee. ANI-News 29 March 2016,

Sparking worries, a pinnacle of one of four minarets of Taj Mahal fell off on Monday minanoon during the repair work. Three of the minarets of the Taj Mahal are being chemically cleaned and a mesh structure being put up round it. During this work, the pinnacle (कलश) was found on the cleaning platform.

(4) Not just Taj-storm left trail of destruction of Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikari to...Seven Jackpots 12 April 2018.

Agra winds with velocity of over 130KM per hour that swept Agra on Wednesday night caused considerable damage to the Taj Mahal. Besides the damages caused to the "Two minarets of Royal & South Gates of the Taj, other buildings within the 17th century mausoleum were also hit".

Expert's opinion on the damages of two minarets:

The damages caused the two minarets up rooted and fell down on the floors of gates is the alarming-technical damages to the royal & south gates. Some damages may occur in the main dome of Taj Mahal & its four minarets. Expert's opinion should be taken seriously by the ASI authorities.

Our opinion is reserved because of the serious technical happening.

This may lead again in the future. Proper precaution-should be taken immediately. Except our expert nobody can give the proper reasoning of highly technical faults on these damages.

 - Dr. Ram Bajaj (Structural Engineer)

"A powerful storm toppled two minarets at the entry gates of the famed Taj Mahal in northern India, but no damage was done". CBS News, Deccan Chronicle, BBC News 12 & 13 April 2018. But a 12 foot minaret with a metal finial, which is part of main gate also called Darwaza-i-rauza was blown away by the high speed winds.

Serious Damages to the surface of Central Dome

Horizontal loading on central dome of Taj Mahal due to high velocity uneven winds & thunderstorm. Unsymmetrical temporary loads are transmitted throughout the rings of the Taj Mahal dome.

Unsymmetrical transmission of loads due to wind cause uneven pressure difference between two rings causing various cracks in circular joints. From these cracks in the surface of central dome the rain water percolates heavily inside the walls of central dome as well as inside dome if any gaps are present.

Effect of Wind Loads & Rain storm together

Unsymmetrical loads of Rain water and heavy vibration in air due to thunderstorm leads to the widening of cracks in the central dome where these are always thin air lines and bigger thick lines cracks available in the central dome where rain water with flow of air gets inside the holes at the outer surface of central walls of dome.

These activities of the thunderstorm with high speed of storm leads to the instability to the crown as well as the central dome. There will always be the uneven dynamics displacement causing harm to the central dome.

A dome of Taj can resist out of plane bending moments by developing internal hoop forces that act in latitudinal direction by parallel ring. Hoop forces allow ring by ring construction of dome centring as unfeasible task for an arch. As a result, dome is unstable without its Keystone, a dome with an oculus is perfectly stable.

The support structure must resist applied and gravity loads with equal & opposite reaction fit.

At the base of Taj dome, which is having 14ft thick brick wall must resist the inclined loads from the Taj's dome with equal & opposite reaction. The support structure 14ft thick wall structure typically resists the vertical component of inclined force with case because of its thickness. However, the dome and support structure must also resist the horizontal components, the outward thrust, particularly near the base of the dome where total thrust is greatest. Therefore the external means of resistance (Four small dome structures) may be employed. That is 14ft thick big wall with attached other smaller four domes structure. We don't have the construction detailed whether a metal tension ring around the dome's base is used or not.

The local or comprehensive failure of dome may result from the masonry inability to resist tensile or bending forces that develop due to unanticipated loads on Taj's dome.

A typical failure consists of first:

(a) The formation of radial cracks along its meridians that divide the dome into lanes or pie shaped arches.

(b) Two hinge circles in the dome mid section, with third hinge circle formation at or near the base cap of dome will fall straight down while the base of lanes as defined by the radical cracks will rotate outwards.

There are cracks in dome. The position and type of cracks. whether meridional or radial cracks has to be examined and analyzed as per above findings about the dome of Taj. Are there any visible hinge circles appeared on the cracked half of the dome. Meridional and hoop cracks and crown-displacement has to be examined in the rainy season.

Any extra load, weight on central Dome is highly-unlikely risky and may have damaged the dome. Serious warning to the ASI.

During the repair replacements of marble slab on dome, scaffolding structure, high velocity of winds, heavy rains may cause damages to the central dome. Necessary precaution must be taken for any repair works. Repair works on central dome is highly-highly risky for the sake of stability of dome. Un expertise works with little experts knowledge will be the suicidal attempt to destabilize the 370 years old structure and dome.

If water retained by the inner dome of central dome, there will be extra forces acting. Not only on the various sections of dome, but also at the junction of joints of dome & cylindrical wall. The weight of water retained by the inner dome-will create the extra weight with hydrostatic forces. Authorities have to examine such type of threat to the central & inner dome of Taj Mahal, but their experts are not capable of handling this type of situation for the Taj structure.

We have analysed the structural stability of cracked marble slabs & masonry of the central dome. For this historical dome of Taj masonry dome very small or small movements of supports will cause cracking and may lead to collapse if water retain thrust & hydrostatics forces act on the joints of dome & walls. As per supports move apart of the dome and cylindrical wall of 14ft thick, the structure adapts, causing the crown of the of Taj's dome to descend and slight meridional cracks to form due to extra loads on dome by any means-which increases the value of horizontal thrust on the supports. An iterative computation should be used to determine the amount of horizontal support movement necessary to cause collapse for a rigid block dome. Though the rigidity has decreased to its lowest point, because of binding properties of lane has gone to very minimal strength is an awakening call for collapse of central dome as well as four smaller domes.

Straight warning to the ASI authority

-Dr. Ram Bajaj

Stop any work on central dome of Taj Mahal

It is an attempt of suicide for Taj Mahal by ASI. Since the Taj Mahal structure & its domes are at least 370 years old and its repair work & Multani Mitti "Spa Beauty Treatment."

Beautification carried out through the metal scaffolding is a suicidal attack on its central & other four smaller domes. These metal scaffolding are too heavy and rigid for the domes. Any extra live load or working loads on dome-will be a clear cut stability threat to dome.

Due to heavy Rains on Taj Mahal, they have great threat to the stability of Terrace or Roof of Taj Mahal-due to seepage of water into the monuments structure inside the Taj Mahal structure and damaging walls stability Marble slab joints and its stability & detraction of the slab its colour & structure.

-Dr. Ram Bajaj

Rain showers, Thunder storms, Tropical storms and all other forms of storms result in large amount of water collecting around and on the roof of Taj Mahal in a short period of time or long period of time due to the clogging of drains on roof of Taj Mahal.

Without adequate drainage system excess water will certainly damage the terrace of roof of Taj Mahal. In Taj Mahal a number of open downspouts are inbuilt during construction of Taj Mahal. These downspouts should be cleaned of debris at least twice a year. The low slope roof drainage system of terrace of Taj Mahal works entirely by gravity, because water always seeks the lowest level. The surface of Taj Mahal roof was even, but pool of water does sit on the roof for a long period of time.

Which causes a built of silt, which is damaging the durability of the roof materials and its bonding. In the rainy reason flat roofs are more likely to leak as they are less able to shed water. Although the roofs are sloped at least a few degrees to avoid the allowance of sitting puddles of water. This means the surface of Taj Mahal roof system should be sloped at a minimum of 4 inch of every 12 inches in length.

The low slope roof of Taj Mahal has no sufficient drainage to prevent water pounding of strong intensities of rain water-continuously raining for 3 to 4 days during monsoon. May be that occasional short term pounding on Taj Mahal's roof does not create much problems but standing rain water for over 48 hours is threatening the roof membrane and will avoiding the roof system's warranty. Pounding of rain water on Taj roof is causing deterioration of roof membrane below the Taj and inside the Taj Mahal's marble slab bonding insides structure. This shortens the expected life. Unmitigated pounding is causing great expense both in repairing the roof itself and repairing other damage caused when rain water penetrates and affects the other part of the Taj structure.

ASI first line of defence to ensure proper rain water drainage during long spell of rains. If ASI is determined that the Taj's roof should not have standing water and leakage in joints beyond 4 hours then ASI can save the bigger damage in the Taj Mahal structure.

Cracks, Leaks, Blister opening joint are just few major problems commonly associated with the type of Taj Mahal terrace. There are small openings of holes in the side of walls of Taj Mahal-that carries rain water from roof to open 2ft downspouts embedded during construction. These small holes and 2ft downspouts clog very very easily and rain water does not pass easily, there by pounding the rain water on the surface of roof. This cracks, leaks the roof. The water percolates the roofs causing damages to the whole structure inside the Taj Mahal. We can very well see the damages due to the leakage of roofs of Taj Mahal. Immediate steps have to be taken for the impounding of Taj Mahal's roof, so that it does not percolate the rain water and cause leakage to the roof and structure as a whole.

Due to heavy rains on Taj Mahal, there is a great-threat to the stability of Four Minarets, Basement of Taj and the Terrace of Taj Mahal and its main structure due to seepage of water in the basement area. 

(1) Mahal was completely submerged in water. (India TV July 28, 2018)

(2) Taj Mahal waterlogged due to Rain.

(3) Visuals show that garden area of the mausoleum was completely submerged due to

continuous down power. (Financial Express) (4) Several spots in the vicinity of historic monument were seen water logged. (Photo source- Kamir)

(4) Minaret collapses insides Taj Mahal premise as heavy rains strong winds lash UP-Agra. (First post-April 12,2018)

(5) Sources said that the main monument was also affected during that 40 minute long rain fall in the region. (News 18.com)

Taj Mahal Foundations its basement and seepage of rain water logged in Charbagh Area & Char Minar area

The Taj Mahal foundations are well sunk at close intervals over which the supporting platform, consisting of brick arches valuates in lime was constructed. Based on limited historical & archeologically data, the base well type foundations are estimated to be located at a depth of 15 meter below the greened surface. The thick masonry platform functions as a semi-rigid raft and distributes the load from Taj.

The base platform of the mausoleum is 95.5 sq. meter and main structure housing the tombs is square with chamfered corners. The width of the main structure through its centre 55 meter. Four 40 meter tall minarets each facing the champers, frame the tomb provide immeasurable beauty to 73.4 meter high mausoleums. The mausoleum having a spectacular centre piece which is 35 meter high dome that rest on 7 meter high cylinder. The four minarets were built slightly outside the plinth and were designed in such a way-that they would fall away from the mausoleum in case of any failure of the four minarets.

Danger of Minarets

The four minarets were built slightly outside chamfered corner. This is the the plienerable critical point due to the heaval is plinth, standing on submerged or att strong winds of mory rains of great intensity any beepage of water under than 130km/hours. If any under these 130 kminarets happens to percodement of will be a danger in its stability. Slight esetle part of cornered earth will be the most dangerous parts of flooded area in the Taj Mahal.

There are cracks and leakages in these four minarets. Hydrostatic forces exerted on the plinth of four minarets due to the pressure of rain water at rest due to water logging. The horizontal & vertical forces acting on a submerged plinth of charminar is most important in our case because these minarets are built slightly outside the plinth. Any slight displacement of earth & four minarets will suddenly fall on the earth having wind velocity of more than 130km and the intensity of rains is also high in nature.

The garden complex called Charbagh (चारबाग) covers an area of 300 meter each side and has 16 sunken flowerbeds. Again the over flooded Charbagh, having 300M x 300M area will need to clear out the rain water from the Charbagh.

Seepage of water in basement area threatening the stability of whole structure

The base platform of mausoleum is 95.5 sq. meter and main structure housing tomb having width of 55 meter. This base platform terrace and main structure is having the flooring of marble & red stone of different type with the joints.

Truth is this that rain water pooled on these platforms & terrace penetrates through holes in mortar joints or marble slab joints, unfilled joints marble, red stone slabs-separation due to insufficient bond between the mortar, brick units, marble slab unit or stone slab units.

In our case with insufficient unfilled joints, insufficient joints and holes in mortar joints, it is quite obvious that heavy rain water for continuous five to six days have poured into the cavity, cavity behind brick and marble slab & have reached these seepage of water up to the level of basement of Taj Mahal-damaging the stability of structure of underground basement-which may even collapses at the certain point because of the insufficient bond-strength. The strength of bond & binding properties have reached the position-which is more or less negligible. This means that there is nothing between the brick resting on anything. The smaller settlement or mild earthquake may damage the basement structure-causing the instability to the central dome or four smaller domes resting on the platform.

Pooling of the rain water on the platform & terrace is very dangerous to the stability of Taj Mahal structure. So these type of extra intensified rains for longer period having water logged the whole area of Taj Mahal is at the awakening calls to the official of ASI looking after the stability and repair maintenance of this world famous Taj Mahal. Seepage of rain water in basement area is very very dangerous to the structural's stability.

It is to be remembered that the real graves are in a room below at garden level-where the rain water logged-during rains. Seepage of rain water might have certainly entered in the real graves damaging the structure.

Nine deep boreholes drilled for geotechnical characterizations in year 1993 & 2000 are the disastrous impact on the basement of Taj Mahal 

A total of nine deep boreholes borings have reportedly been advanced along the North, East & A total of nine deep boreholes borings have West sides of the Taj Mahal out of these nine holes- three are drilled in the corners of conferred four minarets. If the boreholes have a seepage of water during the heavy rains and water logged in the Charbagh area-then there is 100% possibility that there were major seepage of rain water in of underground structure of the Taj Mahal structure the vicinity damaging the stability of the structure as a whole and if this type of rain phenomena repeats during any monsoon period-it will be the disaster for the stability of the structure as a whole and specially for the Charminar's corners-where the deep boreholes have been drilled. This type of work done by ASI- is a clear cut warning to the authorities of the Taj Mahal. Who are managing the repairs of its damages- occurred during this type of happening in previous years of disaster? Non qualified drilling of six boreholes was conducted without the experts advice. There was no need of drilling six deep boreholes to analyze the geotechnical characterization of the sub- base. Who has given advice to drill the six deep holes first and then three deep holes in later years.

Over more recent years the total number of bore drilled holes are not known to anybody. If more bore holes have been conducted, the ASI should be ready to face the consequences of the stability of the Taj Mahal structures as a whole.

"Simple solutions for the logged water in the Taj and its surroundings, before & after

the heavy rains."

-Dr. Ram Bajaj

डॉ. राम बजाज

And his  Team of Engineers and experts.