Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers Volume 31 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 Excerpt: ...weight thus lifted was 99 200 lbs. The construction was carried on by bolting the wall timbers in place and lowering away on the tackle until the buoyancy of the timbers somewhat relieved the tension, when more concrete was added in the space between the walls until the weight was sufficient to keep a constant strain on the tackle, experience confirming the original opinion that it would be more manageable when heavy than when partially buoyant. This concrete was mixed on one of the small barges alongside and was deposited in place through a box chute 10 ins. square, the leakage of water through the double walls when first made being sufficient to keep the 12-in. wall space nearly full of water. Meanwhile a force of men was employed preparing for the later portions of the work; the steel cylinder material had been ordered, and was being constructed and inspected at the shops; concrete rock was being received by train and unloaded at a convenient place on the river bank; the platform and shed for mixing concrete were erected, and all necessary provision and details for the economical and successful prosecution of the work were given due attention. One of the most successful features of the work was that no portion of it was ever held or delayed for want of necessary material or preparation beforehand. On March 4th the coffer-dam landed on the bottom of the river, 44 courses of timber wall having been built on top of the shoe, giving a total height of 40 ft. 8 ins., the gauge reading 20.3 ft. The wall space was then filled to the top with concrete. The coffer-dam was then carefully set in position by means of the guy lines. A transit was used to determine the true position, and to set reference points on the temporary trestle, by which the position of the top...