Ferro Concrete Wharves.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

Ferro Concrete Wharves.

DISTRUST IN AUCKLAND. •-'.■.." The fact that the Timaru Harbour Board had some idea,of building a wharf in ferro-concrete gives a local interest 'to the following, from Auckland'. papers of last week:—At .Tuesday's meeting of the Harbour Board the chairman (the Hon. E. vMitchelson) reported .that he had.sent the''following cable'-, to -Mr.'.W-' H:iHanier,the Board's engineer, who"-is- at present in England:—"Railway "Wharf .oxidisation too apparent. Pi)<is where jointed!. ; struts, show concrete'- fracturing at. corners. Feny, Queen's,, and , Birkenhead WhR-rvi* ; > v ::n'i&t^'itti?p s *t' < <: •-Boutiiain.pton, other concrete sea works, m>ke inquiries.; 6ab)e:«anse, :reinedy.';:Cons s id e f .advieable- to uhftrten holiday and return." :;'. ';'■:. '' . So. far, said : the • chah-man, therd liao been reply. . ' . .'".'.'-.' •„ '-iV The -chairman's- action .-was. endorsed by members of. the .Board/.; He-;was given permission to move., and), it ■ was agreed, •" That' the Board in Committee N ba , lristTucted to 'consider the question.. of oii-; disation and. such. other defects as... may be found, in.connection with the ferro-con-ctete works now under contraction;'. the committee to.liave power to : call forepersons /and papers, and to take such' eyidence as may be necessary to elucidaitethe cause of rust sho-iving in .'the- under' structure ; 6f tfe Railway-Wharf, steps should be taken to jireyent further deterioration,, and -mako -such recommendations as may,be, -considered necessary in '..rega"rd , t<>; future structurt's in fe^ro-concrete, v or other-ma-terial." . , . " ' " ■ .- . Mr A. 1 Leman,, in a letter. the Board, in reference ': to. the corrosion 'p'f- ferro-con-crete, wrote stating that .he h,ad founa salt a very powerful corrosive in .this respect, eating its way most, rapidly inlo the concrete, and reducing it a form of clinker. It might lie ■ proved, that concrete was not .effective iii prowrving tho steel. The letter Avas referred the committee... .. . .'■"" '.. :, -■■-' >lr. H. ¥.. Moore," chief, engineer to .the Ferro-Goncrete Conipany, questioned by a "Herald" representative, .said it was quite true .that there were a number. of rust) spots in ithe' diagonals 1 and ;piles, where the ; sea-water . had .penetrated: : The' fact was observed two and a-.h'alt, years ago, and he had waited for developments. Lately the marks had developed, and in pome cases the edge of the. diacb.nal had .cracked These' cracks, were invariably' aboub high-water mark, .or at the juncture of old and new concrete. The first section of. the Railway Wharf was built hurriedly, so as to provide 'urgently, needed'berthing accommodation, and the. moulding, of j the diagonals, was carried out night and day. i It was quite possible, that the rammmj? of the- concrete at nigh.t.was not so good as that done' by 'daylight-.' .. ,In cases where the work, had' been broken away and rejointed,' there had been < no.>ign v of any .further rustine. ' Wooden., wharves were noV to be compared witli' reiiifotced ' COTcrete.fl The:latter eVen allowing for stich small defects as. had outlast 10 wooden structures;: and'. the maintenance ohavges-of Uie "fonnel-, compared-with. tlie. latter, would be as a pea to a balloon. In referring /,to,:'tfo 'oxi'J.feMion-. of the forrp-concrete. piles al 'the Railway \VhaTf. at tho meeting of the .Trades .and Labour Council .Mr AV. Peake,considered : it advisable, in view of the .statements made, that an inquiiy sbbWd also be madefy the Citv Council concerning the of tlie Grafton Bridge, which was Being constructed of . the, Bariie. material. Ihe bridge, ho pointed out, wotdd' be iected to a great wild ■ pressure,■•; and- lb was a question as .to. Whether .ib would stand it. If.not," a serious'loss of life might ensue. , He. moved that the.t.ity Council be asked, whetlief it, wns'.takifig steps to make, an investigation. , MrTenKO •submitted that' one of tlie ; contributing causes to the damage"; at" ilie..'.Ra w Wliarf was the bu'mpirje of heavy "vewels against it in, a, gale; ' Thyr©' was,, lie said, no give: ab'oub, ferro-coiicrete, ; and' "wtten a jar occurred the.piles ci'ivcked, saltwater found its~way in, the steel rusted and expanded, and away went the concrete.- Another . speaker,, who works, on the -RAilwUy Wharf, said' that when a steamer, was Unloading Oregon'pine ".'".there- recently' (? Ie bum]>ed against the wharf, ."moving.it liko one body." The"niotion was.carried. ■