THE “DUCTILE” CONCRETE BUILDER

Evening Star, Issue 19784, 7 February 1928, Page 2

THE “DUCTILE” CONCRETE BUILDER

SOLVING HOUSING PROBLEMS A local correspondent who has been concentrating for some time on the working out of original plans calculated to reduce, building _ costs has written giving some indication of the methods ho would employ in construction work. By using what lie terms the “ductile concrete builder ” he claims to have solved the housing problem, although, as lie says himself, he has yet to demonstrate the fact. Fie states that there is a secret process in his method which is not disclosed in the article he has written on the subject. He writes as follows:

“I propose to build two grades of houses simultaneously, the first grade typo if only one is being built, with a second grade added wdiere a series are erected in a housing scheme. I inalso, to build in the go-ahead fashion, without recourse to special boxing or use of slab and block machines. All f require is a speciallyshaped standard to form a temporary stud while casting the first pour. In carrying out my system of construction, besides the above stud supports, I employ three or four kinds of staples to act as fixing pins; first the ordinary fencing_ staple; a second one, similar, but twisted so as to form a rung with two prongs; the third triangular, with three prongs; and the fourth, where required, with split prongs, besides the corresponding element, which T need not mention. If there is a good basement; all the better. My idea is to cast in situ a main wall—say, the curtain walls, inner or outer (whichever lias been decided upon), together with the roof, the .process to occupy two stages; then to use the slabs system for the remainder—that is, the partition walls, flooring, and ceiling, using the latter in-the form of a coping above the ceiling joists, afterwards casing the framing to represent dressed beams. “The crux of the matter lies in the nature of obtaining the slabs, which is done simultaneously with tiro principal casting, and then their anchorage to the structure. What I propose is to virtually crop the slabs from the cropping area provided by the boxing on either side of the main pour. A calculation at the outset—how many slabs are required, and to arrange sufficient in situ concrete casting to crop the given number of slabs at one casting. This is why I propose a concrete roof, as I think taking oil' a batch of slabs (when _ removing tho shoring) should make it a payable proposition. The door and window openings are first boxed in, and then the pour is commenced straight away up to the. eaves, thereby casting a central wall bearing a crop of slabs front and rear. The slabs are properly wired beforehand, and tho spare ends of these wires are used to tie up the shoring. On dismantling the latter tho concrete would appear cast in stacks, with divisions between allowing for the relaxation of the centrally placed stud members. These steel drifts, if finished with, are removed ; the concrete partitions are then tied by screw bolting, the reinforcing fitting rods having_ been placed opposite (laterally) during pouring, while the slabs are stacked for future use. The. first batch is immediately used for coping the ceiling of the rooms before the roof pour is commenced. “ I propose to take one crop of slabs from the exterior of roof only. The thin plating dividing tho slabs and concrete are here tied to a concrete substance for weathering element.. The abo\’e operation of the dual costing (in situ and slabs simultaneously) can be repeated in all or part of the same area with as many repeats as are convenient to obtain the required number of pieces. In this case the concrete wall already cast in position would act as a balk providing the rear boxing, as it were, while tho other slabs are being cast. In fixing the slabs to tho outer walls providing tho cavity wall angle irons are used laterally across tho face of the standing concrete, and stapled according to tho system. All the inner remaining structure, steel framing or otherwise, to be introduced in the form of pairs, steel pieces, and fitting rods to form boxing for concrete filling and braced with angle irons as before. The foregoing would give an all-concrete structure. Re the term ‘ ductile ’ used as the title, I think it is warranted in consequence of using the ductile properties of so much wire in the key system employed.”