The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-24
NOTABLE FIRE TEST.


place in Boston few days ago for the
purpose OF witnessing a FIRE. They we're
architects builders. capitalists and scien-
tinc men generally, and the conrsgration
was arranged for the purpose of making
study of building methods and mato-
| rials
The building was constructed for the
express purpose of resisting the action
OF heat and fire and every effort was
made to have the test thorough and com
plete and, f possible. TO burn the build
ing 10 the ground, The test was under
the direction OF Prof G. l.. Norton, with
the assistance OF a number OF the students
from the physics department OF the Mass
achusetts Institute OF Technology. and
that accurate records were obtained OF
the principal factors and results involved
in the experiment.
Practical trials OF various means OF
new materials and methods OF construc-
tion have been made necessary by the
modern practice OF erecting city
buildings OF extreme height In
which the hazard 10 human life and prop
erty becomes enormously increased
Structural steel furnishes, under ordinary
conditions. the strength necessary for
safety. but while non-combustible II is
subject 10 such distortion by heat that
in case OF fire the collapse OF steel
building is almost inevitable Two prob
lens are thus presented TO the builder.
namely. the protection of steel beams. so
that II heated at all they shall be heated
evenly without distortion. and in the
second place, the selection of floor ma
terial which shall be strong. light and alb
solutely hreproof.
Experiments have shown that a con-
crete made with ordinary cnders as a |
basis Is not only fireproof but is also |
sufficiently non-conductive TO protect steel |
beams and prevent their distortion. The |
same cinder concrete would be desirable |
for floors because of It's additional quality |
OF lightness, were II not lacking I'm ten
sible strength This one drawback has
been. overcome by mingling with the con-
crete steel nbres Of some sort. which ap-
pear 10 make IL capable of bearing a
heavy load even when subjected TO ex-
treme heat. Sometimes the steel fibres
are represented by wires. sometimes by
screens or twisted netting, or split plates
drawn traversely into strips with dia-
mond-shaped meshes-all these devices
being intended TO prevent n continuous |
expansion OF the metal when heated |
which would be sufficient to crack the
In the typical test made at Cambridge
4 building was constructed 12 by 20 feet |
IN size and feet high the roof being a
single slab OF re-enforced cinder concrete
representing the floor OF a modern bu0d-
ng. This roof was loaded with pile of
Dig iron sufficient 10 give pressure of
about 400 pounds TO the square foot fifty
ons OF the iron being used In order to
'btain greater heat. the building was
rranged on the general plan of a furnace
laving a crate OF steel rils instead OF a
Ioor, two large iron doors Al one end and |
wo massive chimneys at the other.
The structure was covered with con-
rete both inside and out. giving II the
ppearance OF primitive adobe temple.
instead Of windows there were four small
oles at the corners. through which the
junction or an electric pyrometer could |
e inserted for the purpose OF reading the
inside temperature. There were besides
welve other promoters imbedded in the
'alls, from which. by means OF an electric
witchboard connecting with galvanom-
ter. temperature readings were taken
very few minutes. BY an ingenious ar
angement OF rods, working between |
verhead beams and the roof itself the
ag OF the roof was shown directly on
ials so that II could be recorded al fire. :
uent intervals.
In preparation for the test several cords
wood were arranged upon the CRATE
nd thoroughly saturated with Kerosene
'hen the fire was lighted black smoke 4
pured from the twin chimneys and the
OF the interior OF the build
gs very soon became intense reaching
point somewhat above 1000 degrees Fab .
nheit during the progress OF the expert !.
ent. =
After tremendous FIRE had been burn
z for two hours, the iron doors were
rown open and a stream OF water at 80
FUNDS pressure from the CITY hydrant
as turned upon the fire. The shock | 4.
used by the impact or the water under
ch conditions r. likely 10 prove very
sastrous 10 stone or iron. but in spite
the great load upon the concrete roof
Is sudden cooling Of the glowing interior
oduced no material effect
A second fire was built upon the embers
the first and allowed to burn for half
hour before the water was again
rned into the building and the fire was r
mpletely extinguished The roof, al
ough IL sagged little when the fire -
rs hottest remained intact I'm spite of 4
e severity of the tests. Afterward
,re pig iron was piled upon the roof
I'll II was finally broken by the weight Z
the load.
Che practical results OF the test were,
course, apparent, but It's scientific
lue depended very largely upon the ex-
tness OF the temperature records To
'urc greater accuracy In this particular
? delicate instruments used I'm the a.,
'asurement of the heat were, after the "
npletion OF the test, taken at once
the physical laboratory OF the Insti- C
e OF Technology. and callbrated by the "
Lndard or the melting point OF gold As
result OF this calibration, corrected
'ords were obtained which will be OF
Unite value 10 engineers in compiling