CITY PERILS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 56, 9 March 1929, Page 20

CITY PERILS

DANGER OF VIBRATION

The collapso of an inn with loss of life in London recently becomes an ( event of soino importance in View of th'c statement of an expert that it, was piobably caused by excessivo vibration, states the "Daily Mail" in an editorial. It is true that the building was not situated upon one of the main traffic routes, but there was about it and past it a good deal of movement by heavily-laden motor-lorries.

More than a year has passed since attention was lash drawn in London to tho risk to old buildings arising from tho development of modern traffic. In 1927 theie was tho collapso in Beak street, and another on a much larger scalo in Cornhill. In both these cases building operations were in progress; ■but in both thero was a good deal of evidenco to show that tho tremendous strain of modern traffic had contributed to the failure' of old structures.

Sir John Simpson, a past-president of the Royal Institute of British Aithitoots, in the interview, states that these failure are only tho beginning of a grave public menace. In his view the collapse of other old buildings is probable. They aro constantly subjected to the violent and incessant vibration of heavy traffic, rolling on hard roads. Thoy are exposed to strains which they 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 jerrybuilding of the past. The effect of intense and constant vibration on old walls of "brick and sand, precariously united by lime," can- bo seen in any old .building undergoing demolition. Sand can bo observed spilling from the mortar whenever a heavily vibrating vehicle passes.

The problem of eliminating excessive vibration must be tackled with energy. Sir' John, Simpson is. able to suggest a remedy _for it, which may be by degroes applied. . It consists in, providing softie shock-.absorbing substance between the hard concrete of the roadway and the Walla or foundations of the building. .Excessive vibration and excessive noise are to-day affecting tho 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 bo overcome. For, if not, many more of our buildings will be laid prostrate.