How Montauk Block became the genesis of standards in engineering designs

How Montauk Block became the genesis of standards in engineering designs

Montauk building was the first skyscraper that was erected in Chicago, Illinois. The building was designed by Burnham and Wellborn root. The building was built for two years and was completed in 1883. The building was later demolished in 1902. The construction of the building is unique in terms of design and the way its development was conducted. It is worth noting that the building was constructed nonstop, even during winter. The engineering designs used have had a significant impact when it comes to inspiring modern engineers.

The Block was built at one hundred and fifteen Monroe street. The building had a frontage of ninety feet, a depth of one hundred and eighty feet, and a height of one hundred and thirty feet high. The building was designed o carry its weight. Being the first of its kind, several inventions were made to make it possible to build the ten stories building. The building as made up of thick walls, a heavy foundation, and steel structure. The occupants of the building were three hundred. The bock had one hundred and fifty offices and was served by two elevators.

Montauk block used was designed based on physics and mathematics principles. The most important factor of a building is its strength and stability. It is essential to understand that most buildings that were built before Montauk were based on guesswork and assumption. The works of the foundation were purely based on the background of experience or guesswork. The main disadvantage of depending on experience is that conditions keep changing and what might have worked in the past may not work now. Montauk took a different dimension away from pathetically crude ways of the past. Looking at Winchester cathedral, it has lasted for 750 years. The building was not built based on scientific principles, but it has survived due to lack. The building was constructed luckily on peat. Peat has preservative qualities that ensure that the rotting of materials does not occur. Therefore, anybody who copied the design and implemented the plan on different soil conditions apart from peat must have failed.

The middle tall Block on the left is the Montauk

Due to its magnitude, the Block was built with several considerations. The considerations have inspired the modern construction of buildings in Chicago and the world at large. The Chicago soils are composed of soft clay. The building was the first to use steel grillage foundation. Root used the grilled foundations on a few columns. This type of foundation used to increase basement space. The basement space was essential for placing heavy mechanical equipment. The grillage foundation was replacing the convection masonry foundation. The convectional masonry foundation was occupying all the basement space. The Rookery building that was constructed later in 1885 bought the idea of a grillage foundation initially coined by Montauk. Montauk block had used the foundation partly, but Rookery used it in its entire foundation. In other words, Rookery used Montauk as a benchmark. The rookery was the tallest building at the time. The later buildings that were constructed had more confidence in this type of foundation. To this very day, the grillage steel foundation is being used all over the world. The concept of grillage foundation is used today for massive structural columns. The foundation saves the cost of excavation since it does not require deep foundations.

The Chicago muddy conditions were most challenging to build a skyscraper. The engineers were challenged on how heavy iron foundation was going to float on the soup of clay and sand. The grillage foundation worked miracles to support the building. Most importantly, the construction of the building on the muddy conditions prompted the idea of studying the soil for different construction purposes. The study of earth for construction purposes started, and it was called soil mechanics. The study of soil mechanics aimed at knowing the soil bearing capacity. Once the soil bearing capacity is known, it was then possible to see the amount of pressure the footing of a building was allowed. Montauk was the tallest and thus most massive building to be constructed in Chicago at the time. The building inspired future engineers to want to know the relationship between the weight of a building and how the underlying strata played in a role in determining the strength of such a structure.

The construction of Montauk on the poor soil conditions inspired the idea of knowing about soil mechanics. Since all civil engineering structures finally rest on soil, the transfer of weight to the ground needs to be known. Most importantly, it is if the earth will be able to withstand the pressure. Soil mechanics will advise the provision of a shallow foundation in case of hard soils. Soil mechanics calculate precisely the strength of the soil and compare it with the proposed weight of the building. Pile and well foundations are used in case the earth is deemed to be weak. Various formulas have been devised to calculate and test soil for construction.

The safety of the building has inspired modern engineers to input provisions of protection in cases of emergency like a fire. The beams and the columns of the building were encased with clay tiles. The clay tiles acted as a fireproofing mechanism shielding the beams and columns from any resulting heat within the building. The floor was prevented from the heat by the use of flat arched floor tiles. Such inventive measures to fireproof a building inspired modern engineers to input the factor of fireproofing in a building in their design. Modern engineers, just like the early engineers, have utilized steel as a construction material. Steel is resistant to heat since it has a high melting point. Almost all buildings in Chicago are build using steel to ensure that a building is fireproof. However, at a specific temperature, steel can fail. Modern engineers are borrowing from Montauk designers who encased the beams and columns. The reason for doing this is to ensure that once a fire starts, people can get a chance of getting out before the structure collapses. Encasing a column using a fireproof material minimizes damages of the structure. When the stability of the structure is not full compromised, it gives the owner a chance to repair and save some valuables that may be in the structure. Such great ideas of fireproofing have been passed on from early engineers, and they have been perfected over time. The modern engineers have improved in the method of laying arches and assembling steel. The idea of fireproofing has been accepted by engineers and architects as a standard. The standard acts as a benchmark when designing against fire invasion.

Construction of Montauk was done late in the evening, and structures was done even through winter. It was the first building in the world to be constructed nonstop. The construction site was covered and warmed during winter to allow workers to be work in a great environment. People in Chicago and the world at large never knew it was possible to construct a building nonstop. The idea of creating a building at short time nonstop was born at Montauk. The buildings that followed after Montauk were erected at a shorter period since people were now aware that construction could be done nonstop. Montauk proved that it was possible to work in harsh winter conditions; modern engineers have come up with safety procedures for working in winter conditions. There are likelihoods to fall, trip, and fall when working in winter conditions. The modern engineers have made recommendations that ensure the safety of workers to avoid accidents. The walkways are to be kept clear. Hazards like snow or water should be removed immediately. The workers should not carry heavy loads that compromise their balance. The hazardous areas should be marked using signs. The workers are supposed to wear safety boots that have heavy threads to increase traction. In case a person is detected to have frostbite or hypothermia, the person is to be given first aid before he or she is taken to an emergency hospital. The part of the body that has been affected by frost is kept high to avoid its swelling. Such safety conditions were inspired by the need to work even in winter, just like workers in Montauk.

Since Montauk building was going to be heavy, the engineers designed a way of making it light but durable. The idea of using stronger light materials has a paved road to modern technology. The building adopted the use of a hollow tile method. The method uses tiles that are hollowed to reduce the density of the material. If the material were made purely reliable without the hollows, the content would be more substantial. The engineers who designed Montauk knew that it was going to be heavy, and any way of reducing weight was welcomed. Hollowed blocks offered the solution to the existing quagmire. Modern engineers have found other ways of utilizing hollow blocks apart from just reducing the importance of a building. Since the blocks are of the same sizes, shapes, and weight, it is easy to assemble them into any desired shape to achieve a design. The blocks are very durable since they are constructed using vibration and high pressure. Since the Block is hollow, modern engineers use them to insulate against heat, sound, and dampness. The blocks are known to keep the house warm in winter and cool in winter. Since the blocks are workable, they reduce the cost of labour during construction. The modern engineers are increasing space when they use the hollow Block since they can make a thin wall. The small wall saves an area that would have been used by a thick wall.

The Montauk building inspired creations of skyscrapers in Chicago because people saw it as a business opportunity where they could earn rental income. The structure was composed of one hundred and fifty offices. Big organizations like law firms and insurance companies found it luxurious to rent in such an apartment. Due to the influx of tenants in the building, engineers were challenged to come up with such skyscraper to meet the market demand. Montauk inspired investors to come up with storey building in anticipation of getting income from it. Therefore, Montauk inspired architects to come up with better designs of offices and more appealing guest houses. Montauk was accused of being aesthetically severe, and modern engineers wanted to do better than the criticized aesthetics. After the building was demolished in 1902, another one was erected at the same place that was composed of seventeen storeys. It was more comfortable for the bank to take the risk of constructing a seventeen-story building because the ten-story Montauk was already done. The bank was convinced that it would come up with a better structure than Montauk. The ideas invented during the construction of Montauk inspired the construction of all other buildings in Chicago.

The financial management utilized in the construction of the Montauk building proved to be optimum. Clients would often complain poor financial management when it came to the implementation of the construction works. The Block shed light on what was supposed to be done in terms of business management. Modern engineers are not interested in the structural design, but also the financial implication of material and design adopted. Such financial consideration has inspired the contemporary day thirty storey skyscraper. The type of floor that was approved by the Block is the same one being used all over Chicago. It goes without a saying that Montauk block inspired some of the most excellent ideas that have trickled down to modern engineers.

Work Cited

Varnes, David J., and George Kiersch. Reviews in engineering geology. Vol. 2. Geological

Society of America, 1962.

Korom, Joseph J. The American skyscraper, 1850-1940: a celebration of height. Branden

books, 2008.