Book Reviews.

Progress, Volume XVII, Issue 9, 1 May 1922, Page 212

Book Reviews.

Building Contracts, by E. J. Evans. (Chapman & Hall, 10/6 net.)

Messrs. Chapman & Hall have published another most useful book in their D.U. Technical Series (“D.U.” signifying “Directly Useful”), on building contracts. The book will prove a valuable asset to all builders or persons interested in the administration of building contracts. Full details are given of how to keep correct accounts and costs of work proceeding on contract jobs, so that carelessness or inexperience can be checked. In his preface the author says that though there are plenty of books dealing with the “Technical” and “Constructional” sides, the “Business” and “Administrative” sides have been practically neglected. Plis book is an attempt to satisfy the need in that direction as well as an endeavour to

promote a certain amount of uniformity in Contractors’ methods and practices. • i'o that end he has divided his book up into four parts, viz:“Administration of Contracts;’.’ “Office Management and General Notes;” “Book-keeping, etc.” and “Trade Memoranda and 'Plant Lists.” In each of these parts the subjects are carefully, thoughtfully and exhaustibly handled. There seems to be hardly anything Mr. Evans has not thought of. Incidentally he says there is a great prospect for the future of the building contractor, the possibilities offered being almost unlimited, but like all other businesses it involves serious problems of administration. The business, it may be pointed out, is a “Combination of Trades,” each of which cannot fail to create an endless variety of interest and scope for energy. The student will find that it will not only be necessary that he should study each of these trades, but that he will also have to thoroughly master their essential points in order to be able to deal satisfactorily with the various problems that invariably present themselves from time to time. If he desires to qualify for a controlling position, he will find that, although serious responsibilities will be placed upon him, such responsibilities bring compensation and pleasure owing to their varied interest and character, a phase of the subject which must not be lost sight of. To the energetic junior the question often occurs “why” and “how” certain operations are performed. This book is a modest attempt to answer in some degree a few of these natural enquiries. Kidder's Architects' and Builders' Handbook —/y Edition. (Chapman & Hall, 40s. net.) The latest edition of this useful work, the name of which, considering its somewhat cyclopedic capacity has been advisedly changed from Pocket Book to Handbook, maintains the high standard set in previous editions and contains much additional data, three more associate editors having been employed in its compilation. In so complete a work it is difficult to make adequate mention of the great variety of subjects dealt with. Apart from the data given in the numerous tables the book gives, in a readily available form, much information which it is impossible for an architect to to hold at his finger tips and which without the existence of such a book would necessitate laborious search in a well stocked library. Amongst the many subjects which are ,dealt with in the Handbook some may be mentioned as having a more particular use. Part I. contains full data of trigometrical and mensuration formulae, geometrical problems, tables of weights and measures, and areas and circumferences of circles. Part 11. deals with the strength of materials and the stability of structures, and is the most valuable and voluminous part of the work. Most valuable information is provided on the subject of foundations of varying types, including pile and cantilever foundations, sheet piling and shoring and under-pinning. In the portion on theory of construction an additional method of graphic determination of centres of gravity is added. The stability of arches, buttresses and retaining walls is very clearly dealt with. The properties of structural shapes of all usual forms and their safe resistance are given in handy tables, with formulae and explanatory notes. A chapter on columns and struts is accompanied by tables giving safe loads for columns. of American timber, cast iron and steel of varymg sizes and lengths and similar chapters are given on steel, cast iron and wooden beams and plate and box girders. A special chapter is devoted to the strength and stiffness of wooden floors with useful tables giving the maximum span for joists and rafters under floor-loads met with in various types of building. These tables are useful in this country as the modulus of elasticity . and the modulus of rupture of the various timbers are given They would be of still greater value were it not that in American practice it is apparently not the custom to space joists further apan than 16-inch centres. Fire-proofing of buildings is fully treated and is followed by a chapter on reinforced concrete construction containing useful diagrams of the strength of beams and dabs. Care should, however, be exercised in the use of such aids to theoretical design, to ensure that all conditions are similar before adopting the results A very complete portion of the book is that on roofs ’and

framed structures both of wood and steel, and very useful tables are ■ included giving co-efficients for determining the stresses in members of certain usual types of trusses for varying spans, pitches and loads. These tables should be most useful in preliminary work in conjunction with the tables giving the properties of structural steel shapes, in connection with this the stress diagrams are very clearly detailed. A chapter on wind bracing of tall buildings then follows, and also a new chapter on the theory of construction of domes and vaults has been added. •Part lll. Useful Information — is largely a series of chapters on the non-structural but scientific subjects of heating, ventilation, chimneys, hydraulics, sanitation, lighting illumination and architectural accoustics, the latter with some most interesting photographic illustrations of the action of sound waves. Then follow useful data of weights, quantities and strengths of various building materials as well as data for calculating the weight per square foot of floor space of various kinds of merchandise. Figures of the cost of buildings in the United States are given. Some notes of sizes of fittings should be of use when preparing details and specifications. The sole contribution to what Chambers called “the Decorative part of Civil Architecture” is comprised in an article and diagrams of the Orders. Amongst a further list of miscellaneous articles are particulars of the various architectural bodies of the world (New Zealand is not included), the standard forms of the American Institute of Architects, a list of architectural books, and a glossary of terms. 'though much of the matter necessarily relates to American practice only, the general constructive and scientific principles on which the information is based are also applicable to our use. With the march forward of building science in the past 25 years and the. consequent ever increasing knowledge and versatility to which architects are expected to attain, the use of such works as this constantly during practice is an imperative necessity. We cannot too strongly recommend the book to the trained practitioner as well as to the student; but, being written by authors of special scientific experience, and saving calculation by providing so many useful tables, it is perhaps wise to add a note of warning for the unwary, lest it should be used to aid those who have insufficient understanding of the scientific principles on which the tables are based, and that even to the experienced it would be well to suggest that a careful check be made before adopting the principles and tables in practice to avoid possible errors and erroneous assumptions on their part. The book is well worthy of a place in- an architect’s library and as a constant companion- and aid in questions of construction of the designer or student.