The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-20
MOULDING OF MARBLE
Experiments Prove It May Be
Handled Like Clay.
STILL RETAIN STRENGTH
The Result OF Three Years Investigation
at McGin University Satisfactory
Results Have Been Secured
by the Experiment.

Experiments by John NicoIsou, pro-
fessor Of mechanical engineering at
McGuI university, and myself, have
demonstrated that under certain condi-
tfons marble may be nodded like clay,
and at the same time retain its entire
tensile strength.
satisfactory results from these ex-
periments have been secured after
labors extending over three years in
the laboratory of McCIil university.
The knowledge we have gained Is or
equal importance TO the scientific ex-
perinenter and the builders Of great
structures Of stone that are seen in the
cities of both Canada and the United
states.
& is apparent that if marble viii
yield to continuous pressure OF a GER
tain force, without the aid or any pro-
cess TO soften il or render IL IN any
way more tractable, then 1t IS apparent
/ further that there is limit 70 the
/ pressure TO which the low stone sec
4 tons, the foundations of large build
/ ings, should be subjected.
our experiments have aimed at as
+ pertaining whether il is possible by
subjecting rocks. artihcially, to great
/ pressure. under the conditions which
| obtain deep down in the earth's crust,
/ TO mold them and cause them TO HOW
! like. plastic bodies. The material upon
tho pure white statuary marble from
/ Candara, and the experiments have
| shown that this rock. so hard and
| brittle, may, under certain condition.
be nodded like clay.
/ Small columns of the marble about
one and one-half inches high and one
inch in diameter, were accurately
| ground and polished. Heavy wrought
iron tubes were then made, initiating
the plan adopted in the construction OF
heavy guns, by rolling long strips or
| Swedish iron around a bar of soft iron
and welding the strips to the bar as
they were rolled around 1t. The core
| of soft iron comprising the bar was
then drilled out, leaving a tube of Swed-
ish welded iron, so constructed that th9
hbers OF the iron run around the tuba
and thus give il great strength, and
| at the same time, when the pressure
becomes sufficiently high. allows 1t to
bulge very considerably before break
ing. This tube was then very accu-
rately fitted on to the column of mar
BILE. This was accomplished by giving
a very slight taper to both the column
and the interior OF the tube. and so
arranging it that the marble would
pass only about halfway into the tube
when heating, so as to allow the mar
Bile to pass completely into it. leaving
about three-quarters of an inch of fires
tube at either end On allowing the
tube to cave, a perfect contact between
the iron and marble was obtained. ano
il was no longer possible to Withdraw
the latter. Into each end of the tubs
| containing the column an accurately
itting sliding steel plug was inserted
md by means of these the marble was
submitted TO pressure far above tina
which would be sufficient to crush i
/, If not enclosed. The machine en-
pIoyed In obtaining the pressure wa:
especially built for these investigations
~
may be maintained for weeks oil
months IL required. Pressure of from
$1,000 to 1000 pounds per square incl
has been employed. Under these cir
:. cumstances the conditions OF pressure
!, TO which the marble is subjected ars
those found deep down in the earth's
crust in what is known to biologists a
| the zone OF fiow"-that is to stay. tbs
; marble Is submitted TO a pressure fal
: above that which would be sufficient 4