REPRESENTATIVE CONCRETE STRUCTURES As illustrative of the uses to which reinforced concrete has been put, we describe in the follow ing pages, and illustrate in the accompanying plates, a few examples of the many types of structures which are becoming more common each day.
In the line of bridges, trestles, viaducts, cul verts, and retaining walls, a large number of representative examples of concrete construc tion have already been given in the chapters dealing with those types of structures.
In Plate 15, we show the John Deere Plow Company's new building in Omaha, Nebraska. This building is of mammoth size, a half-block wide and a full block in length, spanning the alley, so that railroad cars run right through the building. This of course is a good feature in regard to shipping facilities.
The construction of the building is of rein forced concrete. It is a solid mass of concrete with massive columns and girders, and all heav ily reinforced with steel construction. There is a regular network of steel beams, rods, trusses, etc., embedded in the concrete so that the latter forms a protection to the steel work and the steel work strengthens the columns and beams. Thus the construction is one which is practical and of very great stability.
The building is eight stories high; at the time the photograph was taken, it was three stories high and work was progressing.
Railroad tracks are laid by the side of the building, so that carloads of material can be un loaded in the most convenient place. Then there is the big steam derrick, shown plainly in the photograph, and this ponderous machine will even pull the cars around and switch them. It will stand right in one spot anywhere on the track and turn itself around. It will swing the crane around to any position. It has an auto matic scoop that will go down into the sand pile or the crushed stone, elevate it to the desired height, and deposit it anywhere at the will of the operator.
There are other lifting devices about the building, concrete mixers and modern up-to-date devices of various kinds for rapid and thorough work in construction. Every facility for rapid
and thorough work seems to be amply provided for. The building is so large that the photograph covers only about one-half of one side of it, but the picture shows the method of construction. An immense amount of timber is used in the falsework, as can plainly be seen.
Men are busy at work building up the forms, and taking them down as soon as the concrete is sufficiently hardened. In this view but little of the falsework has been removed. The first story left-hand corner shows part of the forms re moved.
The floors of this building are a solid mono lithic mass of concrete reinforced with steel.
The Milwaukee Auditorium. Among the finest structures in the northwest is the Milwau kee Auditorium—absolutely fireproof, as it is en tirely of concrete construction with steel roof girders. The floors of the arena, also the stage floor, as well as all other floors, are of concrete, as well as all stairways. The clear size of the Auditorium room is 165 feet by 260 feet, and that of the arena, 110 feet by 225 feet. The arena is surrounded by a retaining wall 16 feet high and 650 feet in length.
The building proper rests on 1,500 piles, ar ranged in 270 groups, which are capped with re inforced concrete piers. A massive reinforced girder encircles the building, supporting the out side walls, which in some cases are 110 feet high.
The total concrete estimated for th' building is 19,000 cubic yards, and about 500 tons of steel rods were required to reinforce this concrete.
The seating capacity of the Auditorium Hall is 12,000, and that of the stage is 500. In addi tion to the large auditorium hall, there are three smaller convention halls, one large dining hall and a cortege hall.
The size of the building is 312 by 295 feet; the height, 90 feet above grade; size of auditorium room, 165 by 260 feet; size of stage, 55 by 66 feet; promenade around auditorium, 12 by 700 feet; longest concrete girder, 62 feet; main pillars, 2 by 2 feet.