Evening star., 1922-03-16
TW0|REPORTSL|ST= !
DISASTER CAUSES
Theater Crash Laid to Bad
Practice by Architect
and Contractor.

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Strikingly similar, although inde-
pendently complied. reports on the
causes and responsibility of the
knickerbocker disaster were made
public today by the investigating
committee of the American Associa-
tion of Engineers and of the Assoc
ciated General Contractors.
The engineers report blames the
disaster on bad practice on the part
of the architect and the contractor"
and declares that "the design specifi-
cations and construction of this
building violated fagrantly the
building laws of the District Of CO.
lumbia in many respects"
The contractors report fixes re-
sponsibility upon the architect, who
accepted faulty design from fab
ricator." 1t also followed up with
this statement. The contractor is
quality of his work or by any nom
compliance with the design, specifica-
tions and contract, nor for the alter
nate design. but is held jointly re-
spOnsibIe with the building depart
ment Of the District for failure to
dppi cHeHu tne v NlOldtlOnS Oh IHc Duliu-
ing code in detecting that the design
did not provide for anchoring trusses
to the walls to prevent their slipping
from their bearings"
1t is only in this major point that
the reports show variance as to re-
sponsibility.
Engineers List Nine Causes.
The investigating committee Of the
on
chell. lists nine causes for the dis
aster. The committee Of the associ-
ated contractors lists seven causes
which are In complete accord.
The investigating committee Of the
engineer association was composed of
Mr.. Mitchell as chairman. w. G..
Noll. w. A. Slater. ]. A. Cliff and L.
NJ Neel.
half of the Associated General Con-
tractors consisted of Rudolph p. Mil
Ter, chairman; James Baird and Guy
Mason. w. P. Christie. research
engineer of the organization. served
as secretary and technical assistant
to the committee.
The engineers committee listed
fifteen points of violation of the
building law in the design. specifica-
tions and construction of the knick-
erbocker Theater. to maintain the
statement that the law has been "vio-
lated f1agrantly."
Here are the fifteen charges of vio-
lations Opposite them in the report
the page and section Of the building
code of 1913 are quoted to support the
statements):
Concrete reinforcement left to the
judgment of contractor.
Roof slab much underreinforced.
Truss TIL fabricated shaliower
than approved strain sheet. Faulty
inspection.D
Truss TIL compression members
overstressed up to 345 per cent
Column C2. supporting the main
truss. overstressed 80 per cent.
Column C2. bracing at top Of
doubtful value.
absence of bracing between sec
ordary roof trusses.
Lack of stiffness Of Columbia road
wall. Height of wall exceeds allow
able limit-forty feet.
Absence of wall anchors.
! plans filed with the inspector Of
buildings not adhered to.
"Purlin B41 overstressed 81 per
cent, namely. to 24.5oo pounds per
"Rfvets in truss. members over
stressed up to So per cent.
Hollow tile walls too thin for
height
field connections for trusses.
Building not f1reproof.
The provisions which governed are
those Of the 1913 code. Wherever
changes have been made they are SO
indicated in the 1e17-code."
| The engineers committee lists nine
cases of faults in the structure. They
include the lack of solidity and mass
in the main truss support; the fall
jure to anchor trusses and heavy
beams to the walls; scant bearings at
the walls: Inadequate column brac--
ling; absence Of diagonal bracinK and
lateral support for the trusses. and
inadequate strength of the roof slab.
Contractors' Report.
The contractors committee charges
faulty design in most of these par
ticulars. emphasizing overstressing
of steel roof members and the design
ing of the main truss bearing so that
the center Of stresses fell on the edge
Of the wall. 1t also called attention
to non-anchored trusses and tho fail
ures of reinforcing certain points Of
the structural design.
Whereas the engineers report ends
with the conclusions reached and
comments, the contractors list four
recommendations for the avoidance of
such a calamity in the future.
The recommendations include the
charging of sufficient fees for building
permits to make possible an adequate
force for checking and inspecting &
new constructions; provision by the
owner for adequate plans and speci-
fications and inspection on the part
of the architect: revision Of the
building codes to give a standardized
group OF regulations. and registration
Of architects, engineers and contrac-
tors to insure adequate skill and re-
sponsibility.
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