Mechelen-Zuid water tower
51°0′39.95″N 4°27′47.14″E / 51.0110972°N 4.4630944°E
The Mechelen-Zuid Water Tower stands 143 metres tall, and since 1979 supplies water to the city of Mechelen, while hosting television and telecommunications antennas. The concrete spire shape runs through a wide disc holding water fifty metres above ground, and at twice that height passes a smaller one that supports telecommunications transmission equipment. Topped by a decorative stainless steel tube of thirteen metres, it is claimed to be the highest water tower in the world.[1]
The tower is located in the industrial park Mechelen-Zuid; a more conventional water tower in Walem is at the Mechelen-Noord industrial estate.[2][map 1]
History, design and construction
The water tower was built to supply an increased demand for water due to growth of population and industry to the north and to the south of Mechelen. A design was commissioned from F. Mortelmans (University of Leuven) in March 1977, and construction took place during 1978; the cost of construction has been estimated at 85 million Belgian francs.[3]
The tower consists of a 120 m high conical reinforced concrete hollow shaft (9.20 m at the base, 3.40 m at the top). The water holder (2,500 m3 capacity is at approximately 50 m above ground level: it is a shallow biconic structure of about 40 m in diameter. The supporting shaft is 0.65 m thick to the level of the water tank, at the water tank level the thickness is increased to 1.84 m at which point there is a cylindrical ring beam from which the water tank is suspended. Above the water tank the column thickness is 0.50 m thick, diminishing to 0.20 m at 136 m, above which the thickness is constant 0.20 m.[3]
The tower foundation is a 19.60 m diameter, 3 m maximum thickness circular concrete slab supported by 127 piles. The water tank is subdivided into sixteen sectors by 0.35 m thick walls with provide stiffenning. The 0.30 m thick bottom surface is at 17° to the horizontal, the top surface is shallower.[3]
The main body of the supporting column was constructed by slipforming, the water tank was constructed at ground level, and raised into its final position by cables: once in position the lifting cables were used to support the tank body from the ring beam on the shaft, being tensioned within concrete columns. Finally the base of the tank was concreted to the tower shaft.[3]
A 10 m diameter platform at about 100 m supports the television transmission equipment, other telecommunications equipment (Parabolic antennas) were located above the water tank.[3]
References
- ^ "Stadsflora Mechelen-Zuid". Plantaardige Nieuwsbrief (1). Natuurpunt vzw, Belgium: 26. 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
{{cite journal}}: External link in|publisher=|pages=and|page=specified (help); Text "language-Dutch" ignored (help) - ^ "Industriepark Mechelen Noord", www.beeldbankmechelen.be (in Dutch), Erfgoedcel Mechelen
- ^ a b c d e "Water and Telecommunication Tower Mechelen, Belgium" (PDF), www.vsl-sg.com, Vorspann System Losinger, January 1979
"2.2.4. Water and Telecommunications Tower Mechelen, Belgium", Concrete Storage Structures (PDF), VSL International Ltd., May 1983, p. 14–16{{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help)
Maps
- ^ 51°03′34″N 4°27′27″E / 51.059509°N 4.457521°E Mechelen-Zuid Watertoren
External links
- "Watertoren (ID: 88694)", inventaris.voie.be (in Dutch), Vlaams Instituut voor het Onroerend Erfgoed
{{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - F. Mortelmans (1980), "Water- en antennetoren te Mechelen", Cement (in Dutch), XXXII (3): 109–115