’QUAKE REPAIRS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11951, 23 May 1933, Page 7

’QUAKE REPAIRS

GOOD ENGINEERING WORK

GRAND BILLIARD SALOON

Earthquake repair work was recently completed in connection with , the Grand Billiard Saloon, a. one-storey brick building at- tho rear of shop premises in Gladstone road, This was extensively damaged by the ‘quake of September 16 and there appeared serious danger of a collapse, as the walls were sagging outwards. The roof measures some 100 ft. by 52ft. -and i= without halfway pillars or division walls. Tho roof trusses nr principals were originally of The simple lung-pest design, but, in order to obtain greater ceiling height, the nine trusses were severely mutilated through cutting out jtlie beam and introducing two scissor beams in its stead, with a light- dollar tie high up in each truss to hold the rafters against spreading. The ’quake shocks caused a- general sagging of the roof and spreading of the hollow brick walls which supported it. These, <in addition to being tilted outward, were badly cracked and, in places, shattered: the effect being that the large expanse of building of some 5000 square feet in area was in an unsound condition.

Air Leslie IT. Reynolds was entrusted .with the preparation of plans for tbo repairs. He prepared both plans and stress diagrams which at a glance exposed the roof’s weak points, and showed clearly what was required to rectify tho faults. Mr Reynold's foresaw that precautions should he token against tbo effects of an earthquake downward thrust as well as a, lateral or side thrust, and he made provision accordingly to tho tunc of a- downward thrust equal to twice the weight -of tho roof combiner] with a side thru sib of two tons at each truss.

The stress diagrams which are unique, arc very instructive and simple when explained, and show tho strainin every portion of the building. Air Reynolds tackled the problem from emergency points of view both mechanical and civil. .

The walls, which were; hollow, were interlaced with steel rods, and grouted solid with cement mortar. Whore each truss rested upon the walls railway rails were introduced on both outsides 'and the insides of tire building, from the wall top to 51 ft. below the ground surface. From where they entered the ground the rails were hen f, or splayed so that- their toes had a, spread of Bft. These rails were damped by holts through thiin flanges and through the wall, thus forming a true cantilever. Trenches sft.’-to 6ft l . in depth were -excavated to receive the rail footings or boos, and filled with concrete, thus incorporating the rails with the- surface’ of the ground.

Aft tho haunch of each roof truss, and where timber truss members crossed each other,, steel gusset plates were inserted and effectively fastened to tbo timber members' by bolts, 15 or 16 bolts being used at each haunch and! crossing. "Where necessary, other members wore introduced.

Tims tho billiard saloon was made secure against earthquake shocks of considerably greater intensity than any yqb experienced. It should- bo mentioned that the earthquake of tvo years'ago shattered the far end wall of tho -building. This was taken down and! rebuilt by Mr Gooi’ge Sindh, find the reconstructed wall withstood tho late severe shake.