The Detroit times., 1915-04-19


| IL, Portland cement concrete Is used
to encase great railway tunnels be-
meath rivers. Because OF these same
enduring qualities. Portland cement
In excess OF 5000. 900 barrels was
used in the construction OF the
dams and locks on the Panama ca
nal.
Every engineer engaged In road
construction recommends Portland
cement concrete for highway
bridges. A bridge Is merely .
short span OF road. Portland ce.
ment concrete means an indestruc;.
tible bridge. structure never re-
quiring outlay for repairs. 1t Isl the
consensus OF opinion among ensin-
GERS that concrete for highway
bridges is superior to all other ma
terials. and is IL not logical TO say
that II will be quite as enduring In
the form Of fiat slab placed upon
the groundg Again. concrete is uni
yersally endorsed fof ouivert con.
struetion Here II iS-subjected not
only to traffic stress. but the scour
ing action OF swiftly flowing water.
Then why not use II for the road
Throughout?
Criticism Of Portland cement con
crete roads has probably been at
tended with more absurd statements
than have ever marked discussion
OF any other subject OF like nature.
Some have sought TO show that
while this strongest OF all the build
ing materials known TO modern
structural science will successfully
resist the extreme stresses II is cali
cd upon TO sustain In large engin.
eering works, II IL not calculated TO
withstand the wear and tear OF rub
Der tires. There has never been o
satisfactory explanation as TO why
anybody should entertain this the
oD. but nevertheless individuals
have expounded IL. even engineers.
For example. George A. Kicker. for
mer first deputy commissioners of
the New York state highway de
partment. an able engineer possess
ing years OF experience In concrete
construction. said some years ago
that he did not favor concrete for
roads except as foundation tor
some suitable top or wearing sur
face. To construct concrete roads
required. In his opinion, such great
care in testing and inspection OF ma
tcrials and such thorough workman
ship that Il would be practically i'm
possible to obtain satisfactory re
suits. But when he assumed his Gu
ties as road official he inquired
into the matter fnrtheG The fol,
lowing is quoted literally from an
address delivered by Mr. Kicker in
New York city. In Decembes, l9lt:
with the establishment OF 3
well-equipped laboratory. the de-
partmcnt applied infinite care 10 the
testing and inspecting OF materials.
end with the development OF our
new organization n system OF COM
plcte and Trustworthy inspection
was secured that did insure the
highest grade of workmanship, and
study OF well-built concrete roads
In other states convinced me OF the
error OF my ways. With the aid OF
n new specification and In the light
OF more complete knowledge. was
led to reversal OF my former atti-
tude."
Some engineers still hold to Mr..
Ricker's original convictions. They
will admit. for example. that sir.
inch concrete wall Is stronger and
more durable than n wall OF any
other material such as IL customary
In the construction OF roads. In
fact, Il would be impossible to build
n wall OF some OF these materials.
but when they are asked TO consid-
or these structural forms as lying
In a horizontal position, In other
words in the shape OF a road. they
will frequently endorse that having
the less tenacious binding material.
This Il not n strained or exagger-
ated illustration OF the inconsistent
attitude OF some engineers. They
approach the subject from Its more
technical side. But practical expez
rience has demonstrated that their
conclusions are altogether wrong.
And practical experience con-
tinues TO be the best OF teachers. No
theory ever adduceds could convince
the people OF Bellefontaine. q. that
. concrcfe road thew have ueed rom