CITY PERILS

Evening Star, Issue 20132, 23 March 1929, Page 24

CITY PERILS

DANGER CF VIBRATION The collapse of an inn with 10-s id life in London recently becomes an event of some importance in view ol the statement of an expert that it was probably caused by excessive vibration, states the ‘Daily Alail ’ in an editorial. It is true that the building was not situated upon one of the mam traffic routes, but there was about it and (last it a good deal of movement by heavily-laden motor lorries. * More than a year has passed since attention was last drawn in London to the risk to old buildings arising from the development of modern traffic. In ]S27 there was Hie collapse in Beak street, and another on a much larger scale in Com hi 11. In both these cases building operations were in progress; but in both there was a. good deal ol evidence to show that the tremendous strain of modern traffic bad contributed to the failure of old structures.Sir John' Simpson, a past-president of the Royal Instituted British. Architects, in the interview, states that these failures arc only the beginning of a grave public menace. In bis view Hie collapse of other old buildings is probable. They are constantly .subjected to the violent and incessant vibration of heavy traffic, rolling on bard roads. They are exposed to strains which tbey_were never designed or intended to resist. All buildings must necessarily wear out. though if they are well constructed they may last a very long term of years. But most of the older buildings'in our British cities were, unhappily, quite indifferently built, with poor materials and often with inadequate foundations. Even in such structures as St. Paul’s and Peterborough Cathedrals immense trouble and danger have been caused by the jerry-building of the past. _ The effect of intense and constant vibration on old walls of “brick and sand, precariously united by lime,” can be seen in any" old building undergoing demolition. Sand can be observed spilling from the mortar whenever a heavilyvibrating vehicle passes. The problem of eliminating excessive vibration must bo tackled with energy. Sir John Simpson is able to suggest a remedy for it, which may be by decrees applied. It consists in providing some, shock-absorbing substance between the bard concrete of the roadway and. tho wails or foundations of the building. Excessive vibration and excessive noise are to-day affecting the comfort of hundreds of thousands of people; they are two of the consequences of this age of mechanical road transport; and they will have to be overcome. For, if not, many more of our buildings will he laid prostrate.