Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

STEEL-FRAME BUILDINGS. 11 Fig. 24.—LIBRARY AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY AFTER EARTHQUAKE. The only part not injured was the steel-framed tower and dome. Superiority of the Steel- frame over the Brick Building. Fig. 25.—WRECK BY EARTHQUAKE OF THE PART OF THE LIBRARY BUILT IN ORDINARY CON- STRUCTION, STANFORD UNIVERSITY. of earthquake on a steel-cage building, where® the columns and beams are securely con- nected. The bending of columns of course exerts a severe strain on the joints, but if these be correctly pro- portioned no harm can result to the cage. The substantial accuracy of the foregoing comparison is de- monstrated by the result of the earthquake in San Francisco. Many buildings there with masonry walls and timber floors suf- fered severely, the damage ranging from minor cracks to complete destruction. Fig. 24 is a view of the library at Stanford University, where the only part not ruined was the steel-framed tower and dome, the havoc wrought being further illustrated by Fig. 25. Still more striking is the case of the masonry Court House at Santa Rosa (Fig. 26). The self-supporting walls of skeleton build- ings also suffered much injury from the earth- quake. A good comparison of the different behaviour of masonry and steel framework is afforded by Fig. 28, page 397, showing the steel skeleton of the City Hall, San Francisco, intact, while the outer self-supporting walls have literally crumbled away. Fig. 26.—COURT HOUSE, SANTA ROSA, AFTER EARTHQUAKE. (Illustrations from Proc. Amer. Soc. C.E., vol. xxxiii., No. 3, Plates XIX., XX., and XXXI.) Steel cage with girder bracing. Steel cage with latticed bracing. > Fig. 27.—DIAGRAM SHOWING EFFECT OF EARTH- QUAKE ON A STEEL CAGE. Buildings with a steel cage supporting all